Naruto - A Different Life
by Dreaming of the Phoenix
Summary: This is a three-way crossing. Characters from Naruto and Bleach, powers from both, and all in the DxD world! Challenge Fic! Side Project! Irregular updates! Namikaze Naruto just found out his life is to change, drastically... I suck at summaries! HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Alright, this was a challenge from Lawrence Helmbain. It isn't any longer. This is a three-way crossing of Naruto, Bleach, and DxD, so be warned! Otherwise, you'll probably end up being confused like my Beta was. To be blunt: Characters from Naruto and Bleach, ideas and powers from both, in the DxD universe. So yes, completely AU!

Pairing: Naruto/Kushina/? - Note: the ? is not a spot for suggestion. I'm trying to decide between the original requested third party, a third of my own choice, or just leave it as Naru/Kushi. This story will not go beyond two women though.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, High School DxD, or Bleach.

 **Chapter 01:**

"I can't believe Dad's doing this to me. Are you sure this thing's on right, Byakuya?"

Namikaze Naruto, fifteen year old son of Namikaze Haruo, and elder brother to Namikaze Minato, was studying his reflection again, tugging on a bow tie he was certain was absolutely wrong. The seventeen year old stood at a respectable five feet and ten inches, his golden blonde hair was wild and unruly as always, his eyes were a worried and nervous cerulean blue. He also absolutely loathed the white suit he was forced to wear. A simple pair of slacks, with a double-breasted jacket, and horrid red bow tie.

"For the last time, yes I'm sure, Naruto-sama. Please just bear with it, it won't be long til everything starts." Kuchiki Byakuya, Naruto's long-time friend and Pawn of Naruto's Peerage, stated calmly. In direct contrast to Naruto, Byakuya was a tall man, standing well above six feet, with short black hair kept in place with odd-looking white hair accessories, and he was garbed in a formal Kimono and Hakama. He was also remarkably more composed than his King.

And why should Byakuya panic? It wasn't _his_ life about to change forever. This was a glorious evening, Namikaze Naruto would be meeting with his new fiance as agreed upon between the two family heads. The other side in the equation was unknown to Naruto, and thus his Peerage, but the blonde boy was practically up in arms over his father "highjacking his life", as he called it.

Naruto sighed, "I still don't see why Dad couldn't just tell me who the girl is, or at least her family name. it's not like I have a chance to get out if I know."

Byakuya gave the impression he shrugged, without actually moving his shoulders, "you've been complaining all week, Naruto-sama. A little more time and you'll have your answers."

The blonde waved him off, "yeah, yeah, I know already. 'Patience, Naruto, you'll learn in due time'. Considering this is _my_ future I think I have the right to a little input. And where the hell are the rest of you? I'd have thought my Peerage would at least want front-row seats to witness the end of my bachelorhood. For shits and giggles, if nothing else."

A small grimace quirked Byakuya's face, "that is more of Kenpachi's reaction. Why you chose to resurrect that loudmouthed fool, I will never understand. Nor do I truly wish to."

Naruto's lips twitched into a tiny one-sided grin, "I know. But think about it logically, and remove his personality from the equation. He's raw power, balancing your pure skill. If you haven't noticed, Byakuya, my Peerage is made of balancing pairs... for the most part."

A tiny hum of acknowledgment was his only response. Naruto knew Byakuya either hadn't bothered to listen, or disregarded the statement. Just like he had the last fifty or so times this topic had come up. Naruto supposed Byakuya's true issue was being partnered with with his fellow Pawn, the large and loud Zaraki Kenpachi.

There was a man that made everyone feel tiny. If Kenpachi didn't reach eight feet high, Naruto was certain he couldn't be far from it. Aside from that the man almost seemed to built like brick shit house. His muscles had muscles, and those also had muscles, yet the man could wield a sword with surprising grace when the situation called for it. And Kenpachi treated his adopted daughter, a little pink-haired girl called Yachiru, with what almost seemed like kid-gloves... if kid-gloves were blood-soaked blades. The man simply had no idea what to do with a child, but she loved him anyway and followed him everywhere.

"We're right here, Naruto-sama." A soft, sweet, and very deceiving voice said from behind him. The voice belonged to his Peerage's Queen, one Unohana Retsu, a woman of medium stature, but a terrifying presence when she was annoyed. Her long black hair was in it's typical double-braid that lead into a single running down her chest, her black eyes spoke of a soft and kind nature... what liars. She had dressed in spaghetti-strapped black number that accentuated her hourglass figure beautifully, and left her back bare save for crossing straps, complete with black high-heeled shoes. And never let it be said that Unohana Retsu didn't know how to accessorize with a small black choker and tiny star-shaped earrings.

Following her was the rest of his Peerage; His Bishops, Ulquiorra Cifer and Coyote Starrk; his Knights, Tier Harribel and Soifon; his Rooks, Shihoin Yoruichi and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez; and his remaining Pawns, Zaraki Kenpachi, Hitsugaya Toushiro, and Kurosaki Ichigo. It was rather impressive that Naruto had managed to gain such a powerful Peerage already, even if he had to use all his Pieces for them. In Naruto's mind they were well worth the price.

When assembling his Peerage, Naruto had the thought of partnering his people with each other for balance. To that end he'd done his best to pair them appropriately, even if a few seemed to be a little lopsided. It was with these pairs that he typically viewed his Peerage, his personal views of them as his friends notwithstanding.

Ulquiorra Cifer was another tall man, but his pasty white skin drew attention to his emerald green eyes, which were already somewhat startling in their clarity. His black hair barely made it past his shoulders, yet he wore his pure white suit with equanimity, his face never giving so much as a twitch. Ever. His partner, Coyote Starrk, on the other hand, was practically an open book. Tall, slightly gangly, with messy brown hair and dark brown eyes, his black suit was impeccable, yet he walked with a slouch that screamed he'd rather be sleeping somewhere. If Ulquiorra was the pinnacle of swift efficiency at close range, Starrk was the lazy procrastinator of a long ranged specialist.

Tier Harribel was a striking woman, in more ways than one. She was another tall person, but her skin was a dusky mocha, that easily brought about the brightness of her green eyes and messy bright blonde hair. She wore a white version of the same dress Retsu sported, and it did absolutely nothing to hide Tier's enormous breasts. Her partner in battle was Soifon, a petite woman with no noticeable assets to speak of, but with a striking speed so deadly none dared comment on it in her presence. Her long dark hair was done in two long braids with small rings at the ends, and her equally dark eyes sported just a touch of eyeliner to draw attention to her lovely face. Her outfit was otherwise the same as her partner's. Where Tier was somewhat heavy-handed, Soifon was swift and agile.

Shihoin Yoruichi and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. Yoruichi was a medium-heght woman of dark skin, and glowing yellow eyes, her dark hair possessed a violet sheen. She had chosen an off-white Chinese cheongsam dress, complete with the appropriate footwear. She was a hand-to hand specialist, one of the reasons Naruto made her his Rook, and the long gloves on her arms accentuated the lithe muscles. Her partner, Grimmjow was a rough and surly kind of person, and his animalistic sense of self was enhanced by his bright blue hair and feral-like eyes. He sported a male version of Yoruichi's choice of clothing, looking somewhat like a traditional Chinese monk. He too preferred hand to hand combat, but of a less disciplined style than the smaller woman to his side. Skill and finesse, paired with enthusiastic brawling, the two of them were a sight to behold once they got going.

Hitsugaya Toushiro and Kurosaki Ichigo. These two were nearly polar opposites, having only swordsmanship is common. Ichigo was a tall young man, with bright orange hair that was as untamable as Naruto's own, and he wore his black suit with ill concealed disdain. His sword of preference was a large cleaver-like zanbatou. In contrast, Toushiro was definitely on the short side, though his pure white hair gave him a sense of power and seriousness that was most certainly reflected in his personality and combat skills. He wore a black western-styled suit, and his preferred daito katana was ever present across his back, held in place with a teal colored cloth. Once more, the two were a pairing of skill, and power.

Zaraki Kenpachi and Kuchiki Byakuya. Looking at these two Naruto couldn't help but snort and think of the differences in night and day. Both men of presence, their very poise screaming at you to pay attention. Both swordsmen, Byakuya approached it with skill, grace, and finesse achieved only through his many years of practice, his chosen weapon of a single katana seeing him through many a battle. Zaraki, however, went for brute force, and lived for the thrill in death matches to the point that he purposely placed a magic-draining eye-patch over his right eye and wore his hair in belled spikes. His chosen orochi katana bore the scars of his many and varied battles with the pride of any true veteran. Efficiency and grace, paired with brutal enthusiasm.

And true to his form, Zaraki had arrived in his usual frayed hakama and sleeveless kimono, eschewing footwear all together. His hair was arrayed in long spikes, with small bells hanging from the ends. He claimed he put them there so to give his opponents and advantage, thus allowing him to enjoy fighting them more. His daughter, Yachiru, rode in on his broad shoulder, her tiny form wrapped in an elaborate kimono, her short pink hair was left to sit neatly upon her head. While she wasn't an official member of Naruto's Peerage, she went practically everywhere Zaraki did, so it mattered little. The only thing she was unable to do was legally participate in Rating Games, which mattered little as NAruto was still considered to young to participate himself.

Seeing his Peerage, there were times he wondered how they hadn't killed each other yet. Then his eyes landed on his Queen, and he remembered how terrifying she could be without so much as raising her voice. Each and every member of his Peerage, himself included, held a great deal of respect for Retsu. It was through her tireless work that they all remained in good health, as she was the only medic they had. But she could also fight like a demon when the need arose, and no one dared to challenge her when she said there had been enough. It didn't even matter what that "enough" was speaking about, when the woman said it was "enough", it was enough.

Naruto remembered one incident when his father had decided to ignore her warning about having too much wine. He wasn't entirely certain what transpired, but Retsu walked out of his father's office the next day with a self-satisfied smirk on her face, and his father came out limping with an ashen countenance. Coincidentally, Namikaze Haruo hadn't touched a drop of wine since.

Ichigo smirked heavily in Naruto's direction, "for the sin of putting me in this suit, I expect you to pay with outrageous amounts of embarrassment in this meeting. Don't disappoint me, okay? King?"

"But Ichi~, Naru-tan's about to meet his future wife! Shouldn't he be more happy?" Yachiru asked in what was obviously faked innocence. Being around Naruto's Peerage, if you were still innocent like that, you were either faking the innocence, or you were faking that you knew them.

"Ah, that's true, Ya-chan! But my illustrious King is so nervous, I'm certain he'll foul something up, and I want to witness it!" Ichigo replied evilly.

 _'Why did I add him to my Peerage again?'_ Naruto wondered, and not for the first time either. _'I think it was as a favor to someone... oh yes, his father Isshin felt he would learn more among a Peerage. Note to Self: kick Isshin in the balls.'_

"Alright, yuck it up while you can you two. It's almost time, then we'll have to at least try to act properly, which in Ichigo's case means not talking." Naruto said slyly.

"What was that?!"

"Gahaha! He's right, Ichigo!" Zaraki laughed loudly, obviously enjoying the tormenting of the orange-haired teen.

A soft voice cleared it's throat, "alright gentlemen, that's enough. It's time."

Silence ensued. Ah, dear Retsu. Always capable of bringing the ribbing to an early end. It must have been a gift.

Slowly the group made their way to the Main Hall of the Namikaze mansion, Naruto in the lead with Retsu directly behind and to his left, followed swiftly by Ulquiorra and Starrk, who were in turn followed by Tier and Soifon, then Grimmjow and Yoruichi, directly after them came Toushiro and Ichigo, and bringing up the rear were Byakuya and Zaraki with Yachiru.

It was time to meet his newly arranged Life Partner. He could only hope she had a sense of fun. Though he made one concession as he walked, he ripped that infernal bow tie off and tossed it away, opening the top of his shirt just enough to see a silver chain along the side of his neck.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

"I still don't see why I have to do this." a fifteen year old red-haired girl said sullenly. She was riding in a carriage bound for the Namikaze mansion, most of her Peerage was riding in the two carriages following her own. Sharing her carriage, and sitting directly across from her was her fellow redhead and great-aunt, Uzumaki-Senju Mito. Directly beside both of them sat their respective Queens. Beside Mito was her Queen, and eventual husband, Senju Hashirama. Beside Kushina, however, was someone she would never marry, even if they were the last two breeding devils in existence; Uchiha Madara, one of her great-aunt's childhood friends.

Mito was dressed in a full formal white dress kimono, with a dark red obi to hold it closed. Her hair was a darker shade than the young girl across from her, but no less vibrant for her assumed age, and put up in twin buns on top of her head, from each of those buns dangled a cord with a piece of paper. The elder woman's eyes were a dark violet, and had just the barest hint of dark eyeliner to accentuate them. She completed her look with platformed wooden sandals.

Mito sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose in exasperation, "because, Kushina, we Uzumaki bear a large debt to the Namikaze from the time of the Great War. To repay this, and tie us closerr together, Namikaze Haruo proposed an arranged marriage between his son and one of us. You are the same age as the boy in question, and you have a full Peerage, which is something any one would respect. You are the perfect choice, despite your wish to 'find true love'."

Beside the now named Kushina, Madara snorted in amusement. " 'True love'? Mito, surely you jest. There is no such thing, but you can find love when you look for it hard enough. 'True love' is a fairy tale, a myth. There is nothing that can tell you if you have found your 'One True Love'. I certainly didn't know about my marriage, and I ended up quite happy with my darling Katarina. If I could find love in an arranged marriage, surely my _King_ can do that same?"

He finished his statement with an arched eyebrow and a look at the young girl beside him. Madara was not an overly tall man, but his presence was daunting at the best of times. His dark eyes, matched with his mane of messy black hair, gave off the impression of a hungry animal waiting to pounce. His current attire of a white suit did nothing to dissuade this, if anything it enhanced the feeling.

Kushina shrunk into herself a little. If it weren't for Great-Aunt Mito she wouldn't have the powerful Uchiha as her Queen, and even after all the years with him she wasn't certain whether to thank her, or strangle the woman. The man was insufferable, cynical, dark, and major killjoy. Unfortunately he was usually right about damn near everything, too.

"It's not that I don't like him, or anything. Underworld, I haven't even _met_ him, but I would have liked some input into who my life partner would be." Kushina was well aware that her future husband would likely be chosen for her, however, she had held some hope that she might at least be allowed to get to know the male first!

A small, but deep chuckle sounded from Hashirama. "I know, Kushina-chan, but from everything I hear young Naruto is quite the nice boy. He has a Peerage like you do, used all of his Evil Pieces on just eleven people, and like you it isn't filled with only one gender." Seeing she wasn't convinced, he hit for his trump card. "I also hear he's something of a natural-born prankster."

Kushina's eyes lit up. If there was something the girl loved more than her family's signature magic, it was a good prank. She simply _adored_ causing mischief, and if her new fiance could come up with some good ones, well ... maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Mito sighed and hid her eyes behind one hand, "oh no, you just had to tell her that. Now the Namikaze will think we're trying unload our problem child!"

Madara gave a short, barking laugh. "No offense, Mito, but if anything I've heard about the boy is true, what we are actually doing is marrying both families black sheep. A more unholy marriage there has never been."

The woman looked at him askance, "surely the lad cannot be as bad as that!"

Madara gave a noncommittal shrug, "I can only tell you what I've heard, and that is that one Namikaze Naruto is a prankster supposedly on the level of an Uzumaki child."

Mito moaned her distress into her hands softly. "By the Maou, not another prankster! If what you say is truth, Madara, then this may be a true Match of the Underworld."

Kushina's head snapped to her Great-Aunt in surprise. The girl had heard of the supposed mythical Match of the Underworld. It was said to be the devil equivalent of the human's concept of a "match made in Heaven." An occurrence so rare that there was a higher chance of seeing three full moons in a single month.*

Mito's face was rapidly losing color at the thought of wedding her dear niece's child to such a perfect match, she started grasping at straws. "I had heard the lad was a genius of both his mother's family magic, and his father's! Sure such a prodigy could not have the time for such elaborate traps such as we Uzumaki can create!"

It was a well-known fact that if you visited the Uzumaki home, you should prepare yourself for anything shy of having the moon fall on you. Traps and pranks were part and parcel of every Uzumaki's training regime, if they could successfully prank one of their elders they graduated to the next generation up. Kushina was the first child to achieve a successful prank on every generation by the time she was ten, and unfortunately for the family she liked it so much that she continued. It was also unfortunate for her family that even though they knew it was her, no one could prove a damn thing.

Madara let loose a full belly laugh, and Mito's face turned ashen. Uchiha Madara never laughed like that unless something was so preposterously funny that it defied common sense. That laugh alone told her that yes, the lad was just that good. He had made great strides in his magic, his studies, and still found time to prank like an Uzumaki.

Mito suddenly feared for the Underworld. Her fear doubled at the pleased and interested expression that found it's way on to Kushina's features. Maybe this was a bad idea.

It was too bad for Mito, but they had arrived at the Namikaze estate, and it was too late to back out without harming her family's reputation. Oh well, time to make the best of it, and surely Madara was just joking around. There was no possible way for this Naruto to be anywhere near Kushina's level of pranking.

Right?

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

Naruto looked at the double doors that would soon open and reveal to him the form of his new fiance, all the while fidgeting nervously. He wished his mother were here, she was always able to calm him down, but Kana Ginjo-Namikaze was not present. For good reason, as she had died only a year or so prior, but that didno't stop Naruto from wishing for her calming presence. He knew his parents hadn't married for love, but rather had found something within each other they could at least respect, which turned to love over the years.

Naruto could only hope he could manage the same with whomever would come through those doors. Speaking of the doors, they were opening, revealing a rather large entourage headed by a woman with dark red hair cropped into two buns. Her formal kimono and they way she walked exuded an elegance Naruto had rarely seen. At her side was a fairly bulky man, with long black hair and wearing a traditional male yukata in red-lined black.

Naruto's face registered annoyance for only a fraction of a second when he realized the two were specifically blocking his view of she who was to be his fiance. His annoyance, though brief, was easily seen by the two elder devils, and the woman let a smirk just as brief slide onto her face. She was _pranking him!_ Oh no, this could not stand! _This must be avenged!_

The sudden calculating look in his eye brought an invisible shiver to Mito's spine, proving Madara's rumor of the boy being a prankster. Now she just had to find out how good he really was. However, that would have to wait, Mito and Hashirama each slowly stepped to one side, revealing the girl directly behind them.

Naruto's reaction failed to disappoint Mito as he took his first sight of Kushina. The girl's red hair was a few shades lighter than the color the Bael family tended to sport, however she had left it to fall freely past her shoulders in a natural wave. Her eyes were a striking violet, and her cheeks had the barest dusting of a dark powder. Kushina had chosen to wear something similar to Mito, but rather than white the girl wore a dark violet to contrast her hair and match her eyes, finishing her look with a set of waraji sandals and white tabi socks.

Mito smiled as Naruto's stunned expression never seemed to leave Kushina's face. The boy was smitten and the two of them had to speak to one another. A quick glance at Kushina told the elder Uzumaki similar tale, as the girl's eyes were wide and focused utterly upon Naruto. Well, the first impressions were done, and it seemed to be smashing success.

Now to get the two of them alone, and watch the results. Mito quickly made eye contact with Haruo and they quickly made themselves inconspicuous so as to observe the coming show with ease. Though Hashirama wondered one thing as he joined them, _'Where did Namikaze-sama get the popcorn?"_

A loud, relatively high-pitched laugh broke the moment, "looks like she's already got you, Nii-san!"

Namikaze Minato, Naruto's younger brother by two years, still hadn't hit puberty. Unfortunately this meant that Naruto had to put up with Minato's annoying and childish behavior that simply would not stop. Naruto loved a good joke as much as the next guy, but Minato would belabor the point _LONG_ after it was funny. The brat was also a giant flake, and easily scared. He'd flit from one moment to the next, never really paying attention and almost killing himself in the process, because once he noticed his situation he was, invariably, freaked out.

Minato's Queen, an older teen girl named Saya, had often complained about having to save her King from all sorts of dangers and stupid stunts. The only reason she had been able to save him so often was because she was a veritable genius with air and wind magics, and considering most of Minato's hijinks dealt with high places... well, you get the idea.

Speaking of Saya, there she was, standing just behind her King, dressed in... a skimpy french maid outfit? Okay, that was new. Naruto figured that Minato had a thing for maids, considering his room was filled with figurines, but now he was getting Saya to dress like one? How did he manage that one?

Unfortunately, that was hardly the proper time to be asking such a question, and the emotion of unadulterated rage within Saya's normally golden-brown orbs was more than enough to persuade Naruto to simply leave it be. The elder of the Namikaze brothers would admit to many different moments of relative stupidity, he would not, however, allow himself to become suicidal. He left that to his dear younger brother, who would most likely be feeling Saya's keen displeasure about this situation later.

Clearing his throat, and turning away from his brother, Naruto once again faced the beautiful red haired girl. "My apologies for my brother, Miss. He's an uncultured lout, but he's also family, so we're stuck with him." Hearing a snort of mirth from the girl, and a cry of indignation from Minato, Naruto sketched a polite bow, "Namikaze Naruto, at your service, with me are the members of my Peerage, whom I'll gladly introduce to you if you wish."

The redhead kept giggling, "Oh, my Maou! I can't believe you actually said that about your brother!"

Naruto raised himself from the bow, content to listen to her laugh. It was like sweet music to his ears. A light, bell-like quality, but with a life all it's own that called to him. He officially acknowledged silently to himself, he was spellbound and thoroughly interested in this girl already, and she'd barely spoken yet!

Slowly her laughter trickled to a close, allowing the girl to reclaim control of herself. Wiping the last tears of mirth from her eye, she sketched her own bow, as it was more than a tad difficult to curtsey in a kimono. "Uzumaki Kushina, is my name. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, and I would indeed like to meet my finace's Peerage. Just as I shall introduce mine."

Naruto's brain froze. Did he hear her right? "Uzumaki"?As in _those_ Uzumaki? His father managed to get him hitched to perhaps the fourth most eligible girl in the Underworld!

He knew of her, anyone who actually paid attention to the official rankings knew the top four; Serafall Leviathan, Rias Gremory, Sona Sitri, and Uzumaki Kushina. Though the Gremory was rumored to be in a disputed contract with Phenex, it hardly made the girl herself any less desirable until she was officially taken off the proverbial market.

Quickly catching his rather long pause, and clearing his throat yet again, he hurried to assure his new fiance that all was well. "My apologies, Kushina-san, my father refused to tell me the name of my intended, possibly as revenge for the pink dye I put in his underwear two days ago. I must admit my surprise that I am to be wed to you, as I am certain you must have more influential suitors-?"

He left the thought hanging, obviously curious as to her thoughts on the subject, to which she obliged with a small, and distinctly amused, smile. "Oh, you would be correct about that. However, none of them have the kind of close relationship our two families do, so when your father mentioned this idea, naturally we jumped on it."

"Of course. How silly of me to forget," Naruto murmured as he casually reached over to smack his once-more-chuckling brother upside the head, soliciting a small complaint from the younger blonde. Naruto then gestured behind him, "well, since we are past that, allow me to introduce my Peerage. My Queen, Unohana Retsu. My Bishops, Ulquiorra Cifer and Coyote Starrk. My Knights, Tier Harribel and Soifon. My Rooks, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and Shihoin Yoruichi. And my Pawns, Zaraki Kenpachi, Kuchiki Byakuya, Hitsugaya Toushiro, and Kurosaki Ichigo."

A sudden clearing of a throat reminded him, "Oh, yes. How could I forget Kusajishi Yachiru, Zaraki's adopted daughter."

Indicating each member with an upturned hand, the individual responded as they were wont to do. Meaning Retsu, Ulquiorra, Tier, Soifon, Byakuya and Toushiro each gave a small bow, while the others were ... less than formal. The yawn and wave from Starrk was a perfect example. Grimmjow and Zaraki simply gave grunts of acknowledgement, while Yoruichi and Ichigo gave a rendition of "Yo."

... Okay, Yoruichi went for a failed cute attempt at "Ya~hoo", while Yachiru nailed it. Being naturally small and cute has it's advantages in situations like that.

Kushina couldn't help but chuckle. It seemed her fiance's Peerage was as full of character as her own. Speaking of her Peerage...

"Well, I suppose it's time for my own introductions." She paused, and waved her own group forward, "my Queen, Uchiha Madara."

A medium height man in a black western suit stepped forward, giving a small bow. His long, messy black hair and dark eyes with serious expression daring anyone to make a joke about his position in Kushina's group. Unsurprisingly, only Zaraki laughed, and loudly at that, instantly garnering Madara's dislike.

"My Bishops, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Hatake Kakashi." This time and old man wearing white and red robes and smoking a pipe stood forward with a younger man bearing silver hair and his left eye covered, the intricate golden dragon image on the patch working well with his black suit. As both of them took their own small bows, Naruto could swear he saw the light of a prankster within their eyes, and just knew that he could have fun with them.

"My Knights, Uchiha Mikoto and Momochi Zabuza." An elegant woman with the natural aura of a mother stepped forward, followed by a giant of a man, both with black hair, though hers was long and well cared for while his was short and spiked. She wore a simple, yet profoundly tempting midnight blue dress that lacked any kind of shoulder cover, and the suggestive heave of her bosom as she glanced to the man beside her told Naruto exactly for whom the display was intended. The man was in a simple Japanese hakama and sleeveless haori, baring his well-muscled chest to the world, even as he returned Mikoto's subtle looks. Naruto had the sudden feeling that if it wasn't official yet, it wouldn't be long til these two declared themselves taken.

Shaking her head, Kushina motioned to the next two in line, "my Rooks, Senju Tsunade and Inuzuka Tsume."

The two women that stepped forward... well one was practically a man's wet dream come true, with long blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a set of mammaries that simply defied logic they were that big. Her light gray blouse was open at the top, revealing a healthy amount of cleavage, and Naruto had to force himself not to stare and possibly piss off his new fiance. To go with that blouse, this Tsunade was wearing a knee-length slit skirt in black. With the sandal-like heels she wore with it she was easily giving off the sultry teacher look, and Naruto had the sudden wish to be the bad student.

The other woman though, if he wasn't aware of each of his Peerage's situations in regards to family -namely that they didn't really have any with the exception of Ichigo- he'd have thought Grimmjow's sister was standing before him. She just gave off that same level of feral, with short and wild black hair, and dark slits for eyes, not to mention the red fang tattoos on her cheeks. Her outfit was

very masculine in the fact she was wearing a two-piece men's suit in pinstriped black with white shirt. Naruto did take notice, however, that Grimmjow and this Tsume did give looks of interest to each other.

"Last, but certainly not least, my Pawns; Maito Gai, Konan, Mitarashi Anko, and Uchiha Sasuke." Considering that even at a glance this Sasuke looked a great deal like Mikoto, Naruto was willing to bet he was either her nephew or son, though with the look of motherly pride on the woman's face he was majorly leaning toward the "son" option.

The last four people stood forward and Naruto found it once again difficult to find a safe place for his eyes. The two women were beautiful, but one with short blue hair gave the impression she's rather date a log than a man, while the other with short purple hair in a small ponytail on top of her head appeared to want kill him instead of be in his home right now. Their skin tight black pants and black shirts left almost nothing to the imagination, even if they did at least wear long coats to offer some sense of modesty... Okay, so modesty wasn't really in the Devil Dictionary, but still!

The two males were also somewhat hard to try and look at. Though both wore the typical two-piece black suits and white shirts, Maito Gai was... grinning with a thumb up? Obviously the pose meant something to the older man, but that black hair in a bowl cut with those thick eyebrows... no. Just, no.

The other was a teen boy around Naruto's age, and thus Kushina's. His hair was black, and his eyes were dark, but the haircut... was that supposed to look like a duck's ass? And why the hell was the guy glaring at him anyway? Then Sasuke's eyes shifted to Kushina for a moment and his eyes softened, allowing Naruto to make the connection. Either the guy didn't believe Naruto worthy of Kushina, or he had a giant crush on his King.

Oh well, too bad so sad, Sasuke. She's Naruto's now!

"Well, it's pleasure to meet you all. Ksuhina-san, what say you and I go and get acquainted over there, while our Peerages mingle?" Naruto held out his arm after indicating the far side of the hall where a couple benches were situated.

With a smile, Kushina accepted his arm and the two walked the distance, leaving their groups behind to stare after them. Sasuke was caught glowering at Naruto's back, however, and subsequently slapped upside the head by his great-grandfather Madara, who proceeded to verbally thrash the young man for even _thinking_ of trying to harm their King's fiance.

This action brought a small smile from Retsu, who quickly moved over to speak with the older man. And, as if following some unseen signal, the rest of Naruto's group moved to do the same. Well, except for Ulquiorra, who really wasn't much of a conversationalist, but didn't mind talking in short sentences now and then.

Approaching the bench, Naruto allowed Kushina to sit first before joining her. They just there for a few minutes, watching their respective groups get to know each other. It was rather funny the way Madara practically had to glue his hand to Sasuke's head to get the boy to behave.

"You realize that Sasuke probably has a huge crush on you, right?" Naruto asked, his head turning just enough to see her face.

He wasn't disappointed when a look of consternation crossed her features. "I know, but he doesn't seem to understand I don't like him in that way. He's a good friend, but his personality's too dark for my tastes. Unfortunately, his father managed to get it into his head that he just needs to prove himself the strongest to get me. So I'd expect a lot of challenges from him in the future if I were you."

Naruto just sighed and turned his attention back to the large group, completely ignoring the way their respective guardians were talking about them on the other side of the room. "Yeah, I kind guessed. Ever thought of trading him for someone more tractable and less liable to take advantage of your trust in your sleep?"

Kushina hit him in the arm, "that wasn't nice, Naruto-kun. Sasuke isn't the type to take an unwilling girl. He'd be more likely to try and get me alone, and then dominate me into being with him. For obvious reasons, I've avoided being alone since I learned of his near-obsession with me. So yes, I have considered trading him, but I can't seem to find someone I'd be willing to dump him on."

Naruto snorted, "not even that pretentious asshat, Riser Phenex?"

She giggled, "okay, maybe him, but he wouldn't take Sasuke. Wrong gender."

"I don't know, put him in a dress... yuck, I need mind bleach now."

Kushina's giggles grew a little more. Hey, he was making her laugh, that was always a good sign. Now if he could just find a way for her to ditch the duck... oh, right, gotta remember that killing him isn't actually an option.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

Sasuke scowled as he watched Kushina laugh at something the retarded blonde said. "Look at that! It's sickening and ridiculous! Only I, as an Uchiha elite, deserve to have a woman as powerful as Kushina! That should be me, making her mine! No, she's already mine, i just have to find a way to make her realize it!"

A sudden harsh slap upside the head derailed his thoughts. Whirling to glare at the offender who _dared..._ oh, it was Madara, already glowering at his great-grandson. "And just what do you think you're going to do, hm? Sasuke, she isn't your property, and she isn't your intended, she is your King. You will respect her, or so help me I'll _personally_ rip out your sharingan and destroy them!"

That was an incredibly potent threat to any Uchiha. And coming from a man that could, would, and _had_ done so, well it became that much more potent. An Uchiha without their sharingan eyes was considered ineligible to carry the name, and any spawn of theirs would be similarly cast from the clan. It was a two-stage death, a death of one's self, and the death of being part of the clan. It had been enough to drive Sasuke's own father, Uchiha Fugaku, to suicide in a public venue after his own attempt at forcing a woman into his bed caused him to be on the receiving end of said punishment.

"But, Great-grandfather! Just look at her! She's perfect for me! She offered to make me her Pawn just so she could keep me close to her!" Sasuke's protestation fell upon hard ears.

Madara smacked the boy upside the head again, "no, Sasuke. She made you her Pawn because Mikoto, your mother, asked her to. Or have you forgotten that we Uchiha are Extra Devils now? We lost our place among the Pillars, and as such, despite your ideas to the contrary, someone of Kushina's standing, an Uzumaki who still maintain their place among the Pillars, is far out of your league." The older Uchiha just shook his head at his descendant's stupidity. "No, Sasuke, if she truly wished to be yours, she would have said so long ago. Young Naruto, as a Namikaze, is far more suited to being Kushina's husband than you could ever be. Now cease these thoughts of forcing her to recognize you, and simply be her Pawn."

Sasuke nodded, but a defiant gleam entered his eye the moment his great-grandfather turned to talk to Unohana. The man had told him of Mikoto's request before, but once again Sasuke just shrugged it off as a fallacy to try and get him to fall in line. No, Kushina _wanted_ him by her side, she _wanted_ him to make her his own, and tonight, away from all the guards at the Uzumaki mansion, was the perfect opportunity. He _would_ make Kushina his tonight, and nothing would stop him!

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

"He's got majorly unfriendly vibes, you know that? That Sasuke," Naruto mused.

Kushina nodded somberly, "yes, he seems to be under the impression that I wanted him as my Pawn so as to keep him near me. As though it's one of those really cheesy love stories of forbidden romance between servant and owner. The problem lies in the fact that I'm certain in his mind, _I_ am the servant."

"So, not only is his hair a rendition of a duck's butt, he's delusional. That's a horrible combination."

Kushina couldn't but laugh again. She had always thought that Sasuke could do with a hair-style change, but had never before known why. Now, though, she easily agreed that his hair did indeed remind her of a duck's rear end.

It felt natural to her, talking and being with Naruto like this. Laughing at his jokes, sharing a few small stories of their own sordid adventures into pranking. She even admitted to a couple of his stories that almost sounded like something she herself had pulled at one time or another. She didn't know why it felt like this, but she knew one thing: she liked it. A lot.

Kushina was a fairly honest girl, and honest with herself to top it off. She never really tried to keep secrets, aside from one, but that wasn't _her_ secret. So, being honest with herself she readily admitted within the silence of her own mind that she was already picturing her life with Naruto. How loving he could be, how many children they would have, and so many other girlish little romances focusing on the two of them.

Maybe she was getting ahead of herself, but she could already feel an intense attraction to the blonde boy beside her. The fact he was so open with her, and trying hard to keep her entertained were making long strides in that regard. the fact he was a genuinely kind and funny boy helped a great deal as well. The fact she found him physically attractive was just a bonus in her opinion.

Wait, physical attraction.. "I may actually have someone I could trade Sasuke to.. if she's still interested."

Naruto's brow rose, signaling his interest, "oh? Anyone I might know?"

Kushina made a choppy motion with her hand, "maybe. An old acquaintance of mine from many years ago, Haruno Mebuki, has a daughter that's looking for the 'tall, dark, and broody' type."

Naruto snickered. He remembered his lessons on the Pillar families, and the Haruno were _far_ down that ladder. They were actually only a few generations shy of being removed from the Pillars all together. They had no truly unique magic, no overly powerful artifacts, nothing but short fuses and pink hair. What they _did_ have, however, was an enormous capacity for learning anything in theory, then finding work-arounds if they lacked something otherwise deemed necessary to the task. It was said that only the most power-intensive spells were beyond a Haruno's ability to harness, but that it hardly mattered as they'd simply take a lower-level spell and multiply it to make it almost as dangerous.

"So, if he doesn't shape up soon, you gonna give Haruno-san a call and see if her daughter's still interested?" He posed it as a question, but it was more of a statement, and Kushina's firm nod made it certain. If Sasuke didn't get the message soon, he wasn't going to be around anymore.

On two different angles, with neither angle knowing about the other, were plans to deal with Sasuke should he overstep himself. One misstep and he would be screwed in more ways than Paris Hilton on holiday.

Naruto shook his head violently to dispel any further negative thoughts, and stood up, once again offering Kushina his arm. "Well, what say I give you the grand tour, Kushina-chan?"

Giggling a little, the redhead rose as well, latching herself onto his arm. "I'd be delighted, Naruto-kun."

 **XXXXXXXX- Ending Notes -XXXXXXXX**

Yes. I have issues with Sasuke. I don't like the pretentious asswipe, so yes I'm going to try and get rid of him. You don't like it? Go read something else. It's not even just because I'm not fond of the prick, but there are currently three Uchiha in that Peerage. That's two too many for my personal tastes, but two can be overlooked, three? Not so much.

Here are the Peerages, normally I'd leave you all in suspense, but since I've already introduced them there's no point. Once more, this is a Challenge fic, so aside from my writing style and base reputation on the line I have little to lose. And considering I have precious little in the way of reputation... you get the idea. This doesn't mean I'm going to half-ass this, but it's not going to be Priority One.

KING: Namikaze Naruto

QUEEN: Unohana Retsu

BISHOP: Ulquiorra Cifer, Coyote Starrk

KNIGHT: Tier Harribel. Soifon (actual spelling is Suì-Fēng, but that's just too much)

ROOK: Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Shihoin Yoruichi

PAWN: Zaraki Kenpachi, Kuchiki Byakuya, Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kurosaki Ichigo

KING: Kushina

QUEEN: Uchiha Madara

BISHOP: Sarutobi Hiruzen, Hatake Kakashi

KNIGHT: Uchiha Mikoto, Momochi Zabuza

ROOK: Senju Tsunade, Inuzuka Tsume

PAWN: Maito Gai, Konan, Mitarashi Anko, Uchiha Sasuke

Personal Family Power.

-Namikaze: Shikai/Bankai. They manifest the power of their souls as a weapon. This weapon becomes stronger with it's wielder.

-Ginjo: Fulbring, the ability to draw forth power from an object with which you are intimately familiar, and holds a great deal of sentimental value.

-Uzumaki: Sealing Arts/Chakra Manifestation. Sealing Arts are a specialty branch of magic the Uzumaki are well-known for. Less known is their true power to manifest Chakra in physical form. Each Manifestation is different, but they all have similarities based on what the user's power represents.

*As far as I am currently aware, it is a statistical impossibility to see three full moons in a single month. At least for us, as anime doesn't count. The Underworld, however, may not operate on the same time for revolutions of their moon, so I'm making it possible for it to happen down there... it's just about as rare as finding a dragon to be your familiar.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Chapter two of this Challenge story... Hello Headache, I thought I'd get some relief from you for a bit. Too much to hope for I guess.

Now then.. the status of the pairing... I have been advised to leave it as Naru/Kushi, and I think I agree. This Kushina really doesn't seem the type to share. But! I may be heading to a double-pairing! ... Let's see how it pans out, yeah? There would be little point in using Bleach characters if I didn't use one in a pairing, right?

Updated as of: April 1, 2016

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, High School DxD, or Bleach!

 **Chapter 02: Well, That's Harsh**

Kushina would admit she was enjoying herself. Naruto was a far more interesting person than she had original expected, and had some stories that were wild even by Uzumaki standards. Yes, she was warming up to the idea of becoming this young man's Life Partner. She had even admitted to herself that she thought he was kinda cute, and maybe a bit handsome too.

Naruto had ditched the bow tie early on in the tour he was giving her, and had simply left his shirt done up. Kushina liked the look. She thought it made him seem more of the polite rogue, the dashing wild man. Naruto, on the other hand, was just glad to get rid of the stupid thing. He had no idea why that had ever been created in the first place and, in his humble opinion, they should have drawn and quartered the idiot who though of it!

Currently, the two of them were resting on a bench in a rather lush outdoor garden that he hadn't been to since his mother died. It had been _her_ place, the one area where you could almost always find her. Now it was the source of painful, but dear memories. Memories of happy times spent with his mother.

"So you don't come here at all anymore? Then who takes care of it?" Kushina asked. After all, without a certain amount of care the plants would have gone wild or died, so obviously someone was tending to the garden.

"Toushiro's wife, Rangiku, formerly of the Matsumoto Extra Devil Family, has a surprisingly green thumb. Shocked the hell out of all of us, him not the least," Naruto chuckled. That memory was rather funny, as apparently Toushiro hadn't known of his wife's talent with plants. Considering how much that woman drank, it was even more surprising that her liver still functioned!

"Wait, that short, white-haired guy is married?" She was surprised. The man looked young, even by devil standards, and yet he was married?

Naruto pulled a picture from inside his jacket, depicting Toushiro and a tall, blonde woman with incredibly obvious assets. Those things were on Tsunade's level! How the hell had he managed to snag that from the market?!

And why did Naruto have that picture on him?

As if sensing her question Naruto smirked, "before you ask, I carry pictures of all my Peerage and their families for reference, and because sometimes I like to embarrass them."

She giggled, "so, what other surprising or embarrassing stories do you have?"

Naruto grinned widely, but waved a finger in Kushina's face, "Uh-uh! That's not how it works, Ksuhina-chan. I told you one, now it's your turn."

She pouted at him cutely, "but I don't carry pictures! I thought this would be a boring deal with nothing but officious and dull people!"

"Well, then tell me more about yourself," he smiled softly, and she decided she liked the look, "I'm afraid I don't really know much about you. Other than what's published, of course, but that's hardly a good way to try and know someone."

Kushina's expression melted from her pout into a genuine smile of her own, "okay. But! Only if you do the same."

Naruto chuckled, "I suppose it's only fair."

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

"What do you suppose our King's are talking about, Madara-san?"

"I have the feeling that we either do not wish to know, or are the subject ourselves, Unohana-san." The man replied, his serious nature showing through.

"Hm, I do hope my King is not spreading those stories of his. While entertaining, some are not for others to hear," Retsu said, her smile never wavering. In the distance, however, she saw Naruto shiver slightly and her gaze softened a tiny bit. The two of them had followed just to make certain that nothing untoward occurred, but the two teens seemed to be hitting it off famously.

She would admit to having been infatuated with the young man some years before, said emotion having been part of the reason she accepted her position as his Queen. But over the past two years, she found herself feeling more like his now-deceased mother, than a possible romantic interest. It had been something of a blow to the woman, but she reasoned it was probably for the best. If she could be diverted so easily, it was simple infatuation, not love, even if she wasn't certain just where she stood on that subject just yet.

Madara saw the slight change in her expression, but decided against making a mention of it. It was hardly a new concept for some people to allow themselves to be reincarnated through the system simply because of a spur-of-the-moment attraction. There had been rumors that Grayfia Lucifuge, who held the title of Strongest Queen, was one such. The rumors were proven false, but they _had_ started the idea in young romantics that a King should have his Queen as his wife. Or her husband, as the gender of the King may be.

What an unmitigated disaster that was! The number of bad pairings was astronomical, and though the birth rate was rather high for those few years, the number of divorces was nearly as high. It affirmed a rule Madara had made for himself: never date your co-workers! Some of those pairs worked out, but not nearly enough for him to abandon that little nugget of wisdom.

He had said as much to Kushina when he agreed to take up the position of Queen in her Peerage. The girl had been relieved as she apparently agreed with the concept. That had earned her no few points in Madara's good graces, and his cooperation on numerous pranks.

An Uchiha man with a sense of humor... scary.

"I agree. There are some stories that should not be shared. At least, not without consent," he said, "but it seems I may have been incorrect."

"Hm? How so?" Retsu looked at him.

Madara jerked his chin in the direction of the two teens, "I haven't seen that expression on Kushina-sama's face in many years. Not since her parents passed, and she was left in the care of Mito-sama."

Looking back, Retsu noticed the soft smile on the young girl's lips, "I see what you mean. But she isn't the only one. Outside of his pranks, Naruto-sama hasn't been this animated since Kana-sama's death either."

Madara could only nod. He knew the pain of losing a loved one, every member of Kushina's Peerage had felt it at one time or another, so he could sympathize with the young man. His most recent tragedy being his own wife, not ten years ago. The marriage may have been arranged, but that woman had been the light in his life from the moment they met on their wedding day.

Madara found himself wishing that these two could find the same kind of love in their marriage that he had found in his.

A soft hand placed itself on his shoulder, and he looked down to see it belonged to Retsu, who held an understanding look in her eyes. She, too, knew that pain.

Retsu would be the first to acknowledge that not all forms of pain were the same, even in principle. The wounds of the heart were by far the worst, and could easily cause wounds within the mind. If left alone, those wounds could fester and lead a person to complete madness. To see the depths of Madara's pain within his eyes, she could only wonder at his inner strength to refuse to fall into the madness that no doubt assailed him.

The "Uchiha Massacre" was practically a legend for devil kind. Ten years previously, several devil clans and Extra Devil families came together to do their level best to be rid of the Uchiha. They were afraid of the Uchiha's special Mystic Eye, the Sharingan, a power said to see through everything, capable of copying even the most intensely trained techniques with ease, with hidden power even further within.

The assault almost succeeded, primarily because Madara hadn't been home at the time. However, he had chosen that night to make a surprise visit to him clan home, only to discover the attempt on his family. Flying into a rage, the powerful Uchiha Matriarch had utterly crushed every last opponent, and when he was done, he had been left with only three Uchiha aside from himself.

Mikoto and her two sons, along with Madara were the last of the Uchiha line. Madara, Mikoto, and Sasuke had found their way into Kushina's Peerage through the offer of Mito. Whereas Itachi, Mikoto's elder son, decided to return the favor dealt his family, and ravaged the homes of those who had dared to raise their hands against the Uchiha. Following that he disappeared, no one had seemingly heard from hims since, and his revenge had become just as legendary as the Uchiha Massacre itself.

"You can't let the madness overtake you, Madara-san," Retsu started, only to be interrupted by a raised hand.

"I'm not going to, Unohana-san, my King and fellow Peerage need me too much. But that night will never leave me." He said solemnly.

A nod of understanding was her response. What more could she really say? He knew, she knew, and that was all that was needed.

Though Retsu decided to be a little more daring, and captured Madara's arm in hers, and rested her head on his shoulder. Considering he didn't move to make her let go, she counted that as a good sign. Retsu would readily admit to another fact: she found this man interesting.

"You know, if your grandson, or whatever he is to you, goes through with what he's thinking, death would be far more pleasant." She said nonchalantly.

Madara chuckled, "oh yes. He'll have two pranksters and the rest of us on him."

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

"I think we've hit the proverbial nail on the head, don't you, Mito?" Namikaze Haruo asked, his blonde hair showing minor signs of his age in the few gray hairs at his temples.

"A Match of the Underworld, Haruo," Mito replied, her tone dry as sandpaper. Watching the two teens from across the room, she couldn't quite keep the smile from her face.

The man winced, "oh come now, surely it can't be that strong." Not seeing any support of his statement from the venerable woman, he turned to her husband who just smirked and shook his head.

"No way, Haruo. You're a good friend, but I live with this woman. I'm not getting on her bad side for your sake," Hashirama said. He knew better than almost any other man just what his wife could or would do to someone who annoyed her, and he just knew that disagreeing in this instance would definitely so more than "irritate" her.

"Traitor," Haruo mumbled, his glare doing nothing more than increase the other man's grin.

"Such a good boy," Mito cooed in a sweet purr, running one hand along her husband's jaw, "I'll be certain to reward you later, Hashi-kun."

Hashirama's grin grew even bigger, if that was possible.

Haruo shook his head, a small grin of his own showing through, "I suppose if my dear Kana were still around to offer such things, I'd be agreeing with her as well."

Mito just gave her own grin, "and now you understand that it is truly the women who run the world."

Both men burst into laughter, "yes, yes I suppose in that regard you certainly do." Haruo said as he gasped for breath.

"Though I don't like the look in young Sasuke's eyes, it makes me wonder if he inherited his father's madness," Hashirama mused out loud.

Mito and Haruo sobered instantly. "Yes," she said, "it seems that may be the case. If so, I pity the child for it was Madara himself who executed the punishment upon Fugaku. I have no doubt he would not hesitate to do the same to Sasuke."

"And that's not even taking into account what Naruto would do," Haruo said seriously. Seeing slightly questioning looks on his long-time friends he explained, "Naruto holds only one thing in contempt above betrayal: rape. Should young Sasuke attempt such a thing, Naruto will, without doubt or hesitation, respond in ways too horrible to really mention." Witnessing somewhat disbelieving expressions take hold, he made one last point, "Touji Mizuki."

Both Mito and Hashirama winced. Touji Mizuki was once a rising Extra Devil some years back, said to be exceptional at infiltration and stealth, he was even being considered to become a teacher at a prestigious school for underworld children. However, it had been discovered the man had not only filched secrets from his own employers to sell to their counterparts, he was caught in the attempted defiling of a young devil girl.

Once arrested, he was sentenced to spend the remainder of his life in a Triple-Max prison, a place where you were sent to be forgotten. However, when the convoy arrived at the prison they opened the doors of the holding vehicle only to find that Mizuki had been brutally, and thoroughly, destroyed in body and mind. He was still alive, but only by the barest of margins. Rushed to the prison's infirmary, he was discovered dead later, supposedly having managed to take his own life.

No one had any idea how he came to be so badly damaged. According to the statements taken, none of the guards had heard anything, smelled anything, or even felt like something might be off. Official records deemed Mizuki's death a suicide, but many doubted it. They simply had no proof though, and so what exactly occurred remained a mystery.

Now though, Namikaze Haruo was as good as saying it was _Naruto_ who had done that. The "how" was currently irrelevant, and Mito had a feeling knowing would possibly impress the original Maou, but to know it had been done by that smiling and seemingly polite boy was a shock to Mito and Hashirama. The very idea seemingly forced a question from the woman.

"Why did your son do that?" She asked, stunned.

Haruo took a sip from a wine glass in his hand, "it was a formal client request. The girl's own parents, as a matter of fact. The girl herself was a reincarnated devil, and her parents were magicians who had moved to the underworld to escape some trumped up charges in the human world. Seeing as they were still human, they made the request on the first flier they found, and it just so happened to be one of Naruto's."

Mito's gaze turned to the doors Kushina and Naruto had left by, her expression unreadable. Hashirama became worried a moment later when a beatific smile appeared on his wife's face. That smile never meant anything good.

"Well then, in that case I believe I'll entrust Kushina's safety to Naruto earlier than expected," she said, the smile never leaving her face.

Hashirama and Haruo shivered in tandem. Damn, that was a scary woman!

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

It was nearly midnight when a shadowed figure crept through the hallways, their destination set in mind. Approaching a set of double doors, they quietly opened one, and slipped inside, quickly closing it again. Taking a moment, the figure oriented itself to the room layout and approached a bed containing a single, sleeping figure.

Moonlight from a large window illuminated the figure, revealing Uchiha Sasuke. Dark eyes gleamed in the night as he raised his left hand, enclosed around the handle of a large dagger. Swiftly, he plunged it down into the sleeping figure, once, twice, three times, a maniacal smile on his face.

A gruff voice sounded behind him, "what are you doing, Sasuke?"

Standing there in the reopened doorway, was Uchiha Madara still in the suit from earlier... and he was smirking? Okay, not the reaction Sasuke was expecting from his ancestor.

"I'm killing the buffoon who has attempted to take Kushina away from me, what does it look like?" The boy sneered. Killing Namikaze Naruto would invalidate the arranged marriage and allow Kushina to freely choose _him_ to be her husband, and true _owner!_

"Is that so? Because it looks like you're stabbing an over-sized pillow," Madara commented, which forced Sasuke to quickly look at the figure in the bed again, only to note there was no blood. Throwing back the covers he saw only a stabbed body-pillow with Naruto's features on it.

"What is this?! Is he so obsessed with himself he even keeps a double of himself for his own bed?" Sasuke yelled. This was not the plan! He was supposed to have killed the Namikaze bastard and regained his rightful place as Kushina's only possible suitor!

"I haven't slept in that bed for years, Sasuke-san," Naruto said, coming into view from behind Madara, dressed in casual jeans and white tank-top. "This room is an exact duplicate of mine, and is used as a dummy for any potential assassins. You'd be surprised how many of those there really are. Considering I'm the current heir of my House, we actually catch about four to seven assassins every three months or so."

"YOU! WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE?! DIE, AND RETURN KUSHINA TO ME!" The dark haired boy screamed, his eyes bleeding from black to red with a single comma mark each.

"Oh? Is that the fabled Sharingan of your clan, Madara-san? I thought there were supposed to be three marks though, not one?" Naruto mused, one hand on his chin in thought.

"Each of us develops at our own pace, Naruto-sama." The elder Uchiha said, a small amount of mirth in his voice, "it's just that Sasuke is a very slow learner, so his Sharingan mirrors that with it's own growth."

Naruto slammed his fist into an open palm, "I see! But wait, isn't that kinda pathetic? I mean, he's the current heir to your clan, right? Shouldn't he be trying to get stronger to defend your name and restore you to Pillar status?"

"Yes, but he's an arrogant child. You see, his father, Fugaku, corrupted his mind with the idea that simply possessing an active Sharingan was enough to make him one of the clan's most elite, when all it really meant was that he had finally achieved notice." Madara explained, the small amount of mirth never leaving his voice, though his contempt for Fugaku was heard clearly.

By this point Sasuke was seething, "SHUT UP! NEITHER OF YOU UNDERSTAND! KUSHINA IS MINE! SHE WAS ALWAYS MINE! AND ONCE I KILL THAT BLONDE BASTARD, SHE'LL FINALLY REALIZE IT!"

"Uh, no. I don't think I will, Sasuke," Kushina said, coming out from behind Madara like Naruto had, but on the opposite side, her form covered by a white nightgown.

Sasuke took a step back in surprise, "Kushina? What are you doing here?"

The red haired girl glared at him fiercely, "I _was_ here to prove you wouldn't do something stupid, but guess what? You DID! You tried to kill my new fiance due to misplaced affection and false images! I am _not_ yours, Uchiha Sasuke! I am my own person, and _no one_ controls my destiny!"

"B-but, the arranged marriage to this bastard-" he sputtered, looking for some way to justify his actions.

"Was completely _voluntary_ on my part, Sasuke. If I want out, I can terminate it at any time before the wedding! The only restriction was that I had to at least meet Naruto first!" Kushina stated, her glare practically melting the boy on the spot.

"What? Really?" Naruto said surprised, "you can back out at any time? I can't do that."

She smiled at him, "yeah, Great-Aunt Mito slipped that in at the last moment when no one was looking. Called it a 'political prank'."

Sasuke was now doing a credible imitation of a fish. She could back out at any time? She... was never really his?

NO!

NO!

NO!

 ** _NO!_**

She was his! His property! His way to the top! The most efficient method of regaining the Uchiha place within the Pillars! And she was the best possible female candidate to restore his clan with! She was perfect for him! He was Elite! He was Perfection! He _DESERVED HER!_ He was the only one who deserved someone as powerful, as prestigious, and as perfect as Uzumaki Kushina!

It was all that blonde bastard's fault! If he wasn't alive, Kushina would never have had to meet him! She never would have been lead away from his -Sasuke's- grasp! Thus, if Naruto died Sasuke would be free to _make her understand!_

" ** _NAMIKAZE!_** " Sasuke shouted as he suddenly charged straight for Naruto, his left hand alight with silver lighting and held out in a stabbing motion, while his intended target felt an odd sense of deja vu.

Sasuke was unceremoniously introduced to the far wall, however, by the back of Madara's fist to his cheek. "Don't forget about me, Sasuke. I'm certain you remember what I did to Fugaku all those years ago, and I'm positive I promised to do it to _you_ if you did something stupid. Something like... attacking Naruto-sama."

Sasuke paled, his eyes shedding the red of the Sharingan for his normal black in his shock. "B-but, you can't do that!"

"Oh, but I can, Sasuke. If I did it to my own granddaughter's husband, Fugaku, what makes you think I won't do it to you?" Madara asked, cracking his knuckles as he started walking across the room slowly.

"I'M YOUR HEIR!" The boy shouted in denial.

"Well, I suppose Mikoto will simply have to be reinstated," the man said with such false regret that Naruto could almost taste it on the air.

"WHAT?! You'd choose that cock-whore over me?!"

Madara's advance found itself halted by a delicate hand on his shoulder. Looking back he came face to face with Mikoto, and she was smiling serenely. One glance at that smile was all he needed, and Madara stepped aside.

"Sasuke-chan, I'm not certain I heard you correctly. _What did you call me?_ " Her voice never let go of it's usual sweet tone, and Naruto could swear he'd heard Retsu use that same voice on more than one occasion.

Sasuke just sneered at the woman, "I called you a cock-whore!"

Still smiling, Mikoto stood over the downed boy and said, "I thought that's what you said. Now, it's a mother's duty to punish her naughty children."

Naruto couldn't turn his eyes away from the utterly vicious beat down of the black haired teen. Mikoto was sparing very little in the way of punishment, one moment hitting him in the ribs with a two-by-four, Naruto didn't _want_ to know where she kept that thing, the next she removed his right eye with a rusty spoon!

Naruto was fairly certain that the Evil Piece system couldn't heal wounds like that. And was it just him, or was she studiously ignoring his crotch? Did she still have hopes of grandchildren from this asshole? Or did she not want to have to touch that part of her son? Naruto wouldn't blame her on that last one.

Hey, where did that rake come from? Naruto winced as Mikoto used the rake on her son's face and then proceeded to spank him with it. _That_ had to hurt.

Then Sasuke landed a hit of his own, a backhanded strike to Mikoto's cheek that sent her to floor. Almost instantly Sasuke was above her, hand once again charged with electricity. His intentions were obvious, and Madara was just about to rush in to stop him.

A sudden chill enveloped the area, everyone stopped to see the source was none other than Naruto. His eyes hidden by his hair, he shuffled forward a few steps, before a frigid voice sounded from his lips.

"Madara-san, Kushina-chan. I'm sorry, but could you leave the rest of his punishment to me?"

Kushina shivered with fear. She had spent most of the day with Naruto, and there hadn't been so much as the slightest sign that this kind of personality lay within him. She only realized she'd nodded in answer when he wasn't standing beside her anymore.

Turning she saw Naruto with his fist buried deep in Sasuke's stomach, pinning the dark haired boy to the wall. When Naruto finally raised his eyes, she could see that they had changed from their usual cerulean blue, to a solid black with a red slit.

The Devil Eyes, as many called them. Every devil had the ability to attain them, but few ever managed it due to the amounts of pure emotion required. It didn't really matter which emotion was used, so long as it was the only thing you were feeling at that moment, and it had to be extremely strong. Most devils who actually obtained this state used pure Jealousy, or Lust, or even Greed.

But she could feel it. Naruto wasn't using one of these three most common emotions. No, it was absolute, blinding fury. Pure Rage, the entirety of his Wrath in it's strongest state.

It was odd though, Kushina would have thought that Wrath would have been fairly common for devils to use as a way to obtain those eyes. But then she remembered that most devils who claimed to embody Wrath actually had another emotion underlying it, and the eyes required the emotion to be pure, untainted by anything else.

It was even rumored that the Uchiha Sharingan was simply another form of the Devil Eye, though that had yet to be proven right or wrong.

"She is your mother, Sasuke. You don't hurt her, and you definitely don't try to kill her. Because she's the only one you'll ever HAVE!" Naruto roared, his tone sending shivers down his current audience's spines. He shoved his fellow teen harder into the wall with his right hand, his left dipping into his pants pocket.

Sasuke hacked and coughed, trying to regain his breath. What was this? He'd never heard of the Namikaze having this kind of power! The strength he could feel pouring off Naruto was immense!

"Tell me something, Sasuke," Naruto said softly, "do you know what family my own mother was from?"

Continued coughing was his answer, as Sasuke was still trying to get his wind back, but he _did_ know. Sasuke knew well which family Naruto's mother was from, the Ginjo were another of the Seventy-Two Pillars who were now pretty much extinct. Only three carried the blood of that family anymore; Ginjo Kugo, who was Kana's elder brother, Namikaze Minato, and Namikaze Naruto.

"Ah, I see recognition in your eyes," Naruto said, "then I'm certain you know that her family had a unique magic based around drawing power from a uniquely personal item. I don't suppose you've heard of the item my mother used?"

Sasuke was still trying to regain his breath, but of course he knew that answer too. Ginjo-Namikaze Kana was said to have used her father's own Crest Ring as her item, it was basically the emblem of the head of the family as it was a magical device bearing the Family Crest upon it. In Kana's hands it was said that it was capable of becoming twin hook-bladed swords, called shotels,* that caused wounds that could not regenerate.

Such an injury was both career and life-threatening to any devil. Even the Evil Piece system, which was partially designed to heal any injury, couldn't heal something those swords did. It was further discovered that the Phenex Family's legendary Phoenix Tears were only able close the wounds dealt by those swords, but not heal them. It was said that Kana could even skin a person completely, and leave them alive.

"Once again I see the recognition in your eyes, Sasuke," Naruto's voice still hadn't changed from it's frigid tones. "Then, I suppose I'll let you in on a secret," he leaned over to whisper into the downed boy's ear, "I inherited my mother's ring and Fullbringer ability."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he attempted to throw himself away from Naruto, but he was too late. A searing pain ran the length of his right leg, and through it near the hip, a single curved sword piercing his upper thigh.

Behind Naruto, Madara and Mikoto's eyes widened in surprised recognition. They knew that sword, but wasn't there supposed to be a second one? And as if on cue, a second shotel was lodged deep into Sasuke's left shoulder.

"I don't use these lightly, Sasuke-san. They are one of the only things I still have of that wonderful woman who birthed me, raised me, and loved me. The last time I used them, I was punishing a degenerate asswipe who later died in a prison infirmary. However, I feel that this is an appropriate situation," Naruto stated, his cold voice a stark contrast with the burning sensation in Sasuke's body.

Slowly, Naruto dragged the right-hand blade down Sasuke's left arm, opening a gaping wound. He would never be able to use that arm again, for anything shy of being dead weight.

Sasuke screamed. He had never imagined that this level of physical pain could exist, and now he was on the receiving end of it. The pain of having his right eye removed was nothing in comparison, as it felt like every nerve in his body was on fire. At least his right eye socket was bleeding! These new wounds were simply parting his flesh, and where there should have been copious amounts of blood, there was only pain!

Sasuke could _see his own muscles!_ Muscles that should be under his skin, were now easily displayed to the world at large. The sight and pain were almost enough to render him unconscious, and would have if Naruto hadn't slapped him to keep it from happening.

"Oh, Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke," Naruto said in mock sympathy, "you didn't think you'd get out of this that easily did you? I mean, not only did you try to kill me twice, you were about to kill _your own mother!_ "

The last three words exited Naruto's mouth in a snarl, his red eyes glowing with even more power. It was at this point that Namikaze Haruo and pretty much the rest in the house arrived, only for Haruo and Minato to wince at that last statement. The two Namikaze men shook their heads, before Haruo turned to Mikoto.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but if that is true I wouldn't expect much to be left of your son after this," he said solemnly. A questioning look from Mito had the man expounding on the subject, "I said it earlier, didn't I? That Naruto holds only rape above betrayal with contempt? I never got around to mentioning that he also holds only one thing as absolutely unforgivable: the harming or slandering of a mother."

An understanding light appeared in Mito's eyes. She had heard that Naruto had gone into a steep decline for a time after Kana's death, only to seemingly bounce back over night nearly two months later. Apparently the loss of his own mother had affected the lad more than many would have thought, and it created a psychological issue powered by his anger.

 _'Go figure,'_ Kushina thought, _'my future husband has a mother complex'_

Several non-bleeding lacerations later, Naruto finally decided to end his torture session by using one of the swords to pry Sasuke's remaining left eye from the socket. Turning around, the swords in Naruto's hands glowed for a brief moment, before combining into a single large gold ring on his left middle finger. The ring was fairly simple, a thick gold band carrying an embossed emblem of a silver castle.*

Carefully, Naruto passed the second eye to Mikoto, then turned to Kushina. "He's your Pawn, Kushina-chan, any further punishment is for you to decide."

The girl nodded resolutely, and turned to face what was left of her Pawn; a whimpering mass of peeled flesh and pain. "Uchiha Sasuke, in furtherance of the Uzumaki alliance with the Namikaze House, I have decided that you will be traded to another King as soon as I can find someone to take you. That is my final word, as you have disgraced my name this night in your attempt upon the life of my fiance, Namikaze Naruto."

More pained whimpers were the only response she received as she turned away from the mangled body of her Pawn and strode from the room. A large hand on her shoulder paused her in the act, however, as Madara cleared his throat.

"Pardon me, Kushina-sama, but as his King, I'll need you as witness to my own punishment for his crimes this night," the elder Uchiha said quietly.

Kushina nodded, and fell in behind the older man, uncertain of just what he was intending. It was liable to be rather extreme, as Madara was known for his strong reactions.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Madara began, "you have sullied not only the name of your King, but that of you Clan with your actions this night. In response, to cleanse this taint upon our name, you must be struck from it. From this moment forward, you no long have the right to carry the name of Uchiha. You are Sasuke, of no House!"

Even in his pained delirium, Sasuke heard his ancestor's words, and wept tears of blood. Madara's word was law for the Uchiha, there could be no overturning it. Sasuke was now nothing, a devil of no House, no Name, and no worth.

He was now, alone.

"Hm, if he is no longer of your Clan, Madara, then he no longer has any value as a Piece to be traded," Kushina said thoughtfully, tapping one finger to her chin. That could be a problem, as then she'd literally be getting nothing out of her investment...

"My apologies, Kushina-sama," Madara said with a bow, "but my decision is final. I cannot allow this piece of scum to continue to tarnish the clan name."

"Oh, it's not that, Madara," she waved one hand, "but it does present me with a problem. If he has nothing, he has no value. Thus trading him would be nearly impossible. My best choice in that case is to repudiate him, and reclaim the Evil Pieces I used."

"Ah, of course," the man said, ignoring the whimpering mass on the floor. "That is a problem. Though I suppose he is not _completely_ without worth. He can still breed, even if his children cannot carry the Uchiha name."

"Hm..." the girl thought about that for a minute, "would you be adverse to allowing his trade with that aspect in mind? I know of at least one other King that would probably be more than happy to have a potential Sharingan breed into their family."

"If that is his only remaining worth, then let it be so." Madara replied with another bow. He didn't care anymore, the piece of offal was no longer his concern. If the brat could still be used to breed, let the kid's new King worry about it.

"Very well, then that will be the angle I go with in trading negotiations." Kushina said firmly. If she could at least get some kind of return, she would count it as a victory.

Sasuke could only lay there in pain, listening as his future was decided. He would never get to kill his traitorous brother. He would never get to avenge his father. He would be nothing more than breeding stock.

He was to become nothing more than cattle. The once-prized stud that was allowed to sire young simply because his line was too good to waste. And then he was to be forgotten, ignored, and lost to history without carving his name into it with glory.

There was nothing worse they could do to him.

 **XXXXXXXX- Ending Notes -XXXXXXXX**

Wow... ain't that just a kick to the balls with a cinder block? So Sasuke is now worthless outside of breeding, and even then he can't pass down the Uchiha name anymore. Now then, an important question, I'll need a replacement character. Preferably of the Narutoverse. Who would you like to see replace Sasuke in Kushina's Peerage? PM me with your choice, and your reasons for that character.

And seriously, who wants to bet I can do even worse to Sasuke? That last line in the chapter felt like a challenge...

*Shotel: an Arabian curved blade, wielded upside-down. In other words, outside curve up. Typically used in pairs, but also in conjunction with a shield. If you need a mental image... well you can either look them up, or think of Sandrock Gundam, it has them.

* Ginjō (銀城): has the characters for "Silver" and "Castle". Thus the image upon the ring, since I'm using the name of the character for the family.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Well, this has garnered more attention than I initially thought it would. Considering I'm basically creating my own series of events, your patience with me is appreciated in this endeavor.

Next note is the Pairing status... we definitely have Naru/Kushi, as that's more than obvious, but who'd have guessed a shot at Madara/Retsu? Yeah, nuts, right? But it flowed so well, and I've been getting good reviews on that pair.

Now, I need a shout out to my pal, Dreaming of the Moon. Good to have you back up, man.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, Bleach, or High School DxD.

 **Chapter 03: Say What Now?**

It was late morning, and Kushina was hanging up the Namikaze's house phone. With a heavy sigh, she sat down despondently on a nearby chair, her head falling into her hands. She had just finished calling the last person who might take Sasuke off her hands, and as she expected from the start, only Haruno Sakura was interested.

In fact, the other girl was interested enough to make a counter offer, instead of trading people, she'd give up two unused Pawn Pieces, one of which was a two-times Mutated Piece. That was more than what Kushina had used in the first place! Sasuke, for all his self-importance, had only been worth the use of two normal Pawns. Kushina could hardly turn down the offer, but she did have something in the way of a conscience, so she ended up explaining to the Haruno the exact series of events that lead to this circumstance.

To Kushina's surprise, Sakura didn't mind in the least. Kushina wasn't certain if Sakura had fully understood just what was being explained, but she'd take the deal anyway. Now all that was left was to wait for the Haruno's arrival.

Kushina did make a small mental note to make better judgments on Peerage additions in the future.

She felt a hand land on her shoulder gently, and looked up into the concerned gaze of her new fiance. For some reason the sight of Naruto's worried cerulean blue eyes made her feel much better about what was going on. She gave him a small, but grateful smile, glad he was with her.

It was strange, she'd only known him for the past day or so, but already his presence was a balm to her tortured nerves. If Kushina didn't know better, she'd almost think he was using some kind of high-level charm spell on her. But even with only the few hours of being acquainted, she knew he wasn't the type to do such a thing, and that made her feel incredibly lucky.

Though she did briefly wonder if he ever had a lover... it wasn't unusual for devils to have multiple wives since the end of the Great War. With their numbers depleted so drastically, it was seen as inevitable, and as a method to try and help bring their numbers back up. Granted, Ajuka Beelzebub-sama's Evil Piece System went a long way to assisting in that endeavor, there were many who felt it was giving up the true identity of devils to "inferior" beings. Kushina wasn't part of that particular crowd, however, and realized that multiple partners was a way to restoring the number of devils.

But any woman who wanted to get in on Naruto would have to go through her first!

"You doing okay, Kushina-chan?" His softly spoken question ripped her from her decidedly naughty thoughts.

"A-ah, y-yes, thank you, Naruto-kun," she stuttered slightly, and almost cursed herself for it. This was not the time to be having those naughty thoughts! Especially about a boy she had just met. He'd think she was some kind of pervert!

He took a seat beside her, in a convenient second chair, hand still on her shoulder. "Really? You're really okay? I'm right here if you want to talk," he said sympathetically. He'd never had one of his Pieces do something like this, but his mother had, not long after Naruto's birth oddly enough. The difference was, Kana had chosen to publicly execute the man, whereas Kushina was trading her trouble away.

Taking a deep breath, Kushina shoved her perverted thoughts aside for the time being. "The Haruno accepted, but instead of a person, I'll be receiving two unused Pawn pieces, one of which is said to be Mutated. Twice the standard value," she revealed, "which is half-again what I used to make him my servant in the first place."

"That's great news, Kushina-chan!" Naruto said enthusiastically, pulling her into a hug and making her blush as her face found itself in contact with his chest. It was a fairly uneven trade in her favor. Sasuke had nothing but breeding potential, so his value as a Pawn had actually dropped to near zero.

Then he remembered something, something he had forgotten in the ensuing trouble. The Haruno had no specific magic, or feature, to stand out. If they bred the Sharingan into the family, it could prove to be invaluable to them. It could even be the impetus to keeping their standing among the Pillar Families, which they were on the verge of losing. Especially if the children couldn't possess the father's clan name, then they would be easily claimed into the Haruno family!

When Naruto thought of it in those terms, a mere two Pawn pieces, even if one was Mutated, were a small price to pay. The ability to save their family from losing prestige would be priceless to the Haruno, to any devil family. That alone slanted the deal greatly in favor to the Haruno.

Well played Haruno Clan, well played indeed.

"You know, Kushina-chan, I'm surprised no one else took you up on the offer," Naruto said, causing the girl in his arms to stir slightly and look up at him.

Kushina didn't want to move, she was feeling _very_ comfortable where she was. Her new fiance exuded a warmth she hadn't felt in years, and she was quite certain it wasn't just his body heat. But his words had roused her curiosity, what was he talking about? Didn't Sasuke only have value for breeding now?

"I'm surprised, Kushina-chan, that you can't figure it out as well," he teased. Then he went on to explain his thoughts, and Kushina, realizing he was right, hid her face in his chest again, but this time in embarrassment.

She should have been able to see it for herself, but she was still so upset about what happened, about what could have happened, that she wasn't thinking clearly, and now it was too late. She'd struck the deal with Haruno Sakura, Sasuke for one Pawn and one Mutated Pawn, and she'd have to live up to her bargain. To do otherwise would tarnish not only Kushina's name, but that of her Clan, and that would simply drop her to the same level as Sasuke.

"I'm such an idiot," her voice was muffled by his shirt, "I should have seen it. The first ones I called were the Yamanaka, their current heiress, Ino, was said to have a similar desire for the dark type, but it seems that she has decided to go after the soulless type, and is engaged to the heir of the Shimura family. After that everything just spiraled out of control, and I found myself desperate to close a deal, and the Haruno came back with this counter offer..."

"Shh, it's okay, Kushina-chan," Naruto crooned into her hair. He knew the problem, even without her continuing.

The Yamanaka specialized in what was termed as "Mind Magic", which included things such as telepathy, even certain forms of teleportation, and they were on good terms with the Haruno family. Mostly due to the friendship between the current heiresses. Calling them first allowed Ino, who was a notorious gossip, to spread the word quickly. There were families that Kushina couldn't even bother to call, simply because they wouldn't take one who's word was tainted like Sasuke's was, which naturally limited the number of possibilities.

Considering Ino's current ties with the Haruno Heiress, and her gossiping ways, she could easily have used what ever little amounts of information she possessed on every other possible candidate to get them to pass on the idea of taking in Sasuke as a breeder, and then inform Sakura of the impending call so she could have a counter offer already in mind.

It was a well orchestrated script and play, allowing Kushina to technically come out on top, and very well done for the short amount of time Ino would have had to put it together.

"Look on the bright side, Kushina-chan," Naruto said with a grin, "you'll have the chance to add someone new to your Peerage, possibly two. If you're lucky they'll easily be able to replace that arrogant prick."

A small snort of mirth echoed up from his shirt, where Kushina still had her face buried. Even after everything that happened, when Sasuke finally came to, he had started saying things about they couldn't do this to him, how he was an elite and should be treated as such. Apparently Sasuke had entered into a form of denial, and was refusing to believe he was in the wrong.

In point of fact, he currently reminded Kushina of the one, and only, time she had met Riser Phenex. A more self-important, narcissistic, playboy of an arrogant jackass she'd never met! The man _defined_ the word "arrogance", and it made her pity her fellow red-head, Rias Gremory, for being forced to marry the asshole.

He'd even made insinuations toward getting Kushina added to his Peerage so he could have his way with the fiery girl... fortunately for Kushina, the Uzumaki Head, her Great Aunt Mito, was within hearing range and immediately decked the blonde jerk, then declared that until Riser learned true humility, they would never set foot in the Phenex household again, and promptly lead Kushina out the doors.

The Phenex family had taken a large hit to both their pride and their reputation that day, and Riser's contract with Rias nearly died right there. Unfortunately it didn't, as Riser claimed he was merely playing around, and apologized to Lord Gremory for his conduct. Apparently the bastard could put on a rather convincing act when he really wanted to.

Ah, screw thinking right now, Kushina was comfortable where she was, and momentarily she was asleep, still in the cradle of Naruto's arms. Looking down at the now sleeping girl, Naruto couldn't hold back a small chuckle. Maybe this whole arranged marriage would work out after all, Kushina seemed like a fun girl, and he could already see something between them. Though whether that something grew into love was something he would just have to wait and see.

He could hope, though.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXX**

Naruto woke Kushina shortly before lunch, and she quickly changed into a comfortable pair of white denim pants, black long-sleeved shirt, and black low-heel sandals. Apparently she liked the "dignified tomboy" look, and Naruto had to agree it suited her well. Well enough that he had to force himself to stop checking her out while she walked, those jeans left little to the imagination the way they hugged her curves.

The Haruno family arrived exactly at noon, and the exchange went fairly well. Sakura was suitably horrified at Sasuke's current condition, and immediately, not to mention loudly, declared that she would see him healed at any cost. Naruto had to wonder about that, since his information said that the Haruno were courting ruin already due to Sakura's obsessions.

Oh well, Sasuke was a Haruno problem now, and Kushina had two new Pawn pieces to her name. Without Sasuke her name was cleared of any taint, and her word was once again to be believed as "good". It was cumbersome, and the taint of the former Uchiha's actions didn't transfer to the Haruno, as they were seen as attempting to "redeem the lost soul"...

Naruto had to fight back a laugh at the thought. To "redeem" Sasuke properly, they would need to kill him, then reincarnate him as a _newborn_. Naruto wasn't normally a cynical person, but he could see that Sasuke, despite the punishments delivered, held no guilt or remorse for his actions. That kind of person could not be redeemed, and the universe was better off without them.

Sakura didn't stick around any longer than politeness dictated, which included eating lunch. Apparently she was eager to get started on "healing Sasuke's dark and tortured soul"... yet another thing that forced Naruto to hold back a laugh. The girl was either delusional, which was possible, or an incredibly talented actress, and Naruto wasn't willing to bet either way at this point.

It was slightly cathartic, however, seeing Sasuke manhandled and maneuvered against his will into the bright pink carriage that was Sakura's personal transport. Though Naruto would admit he'd rather be dead than ride in that thing, too. And he wasn't the only one to flinch at seeing the pink monstrosity, Kushina couldn't even bring herself to look at it after the first glance, choosing instead to still look emotionally unstable by hiding her face in Naruto's chest.

Naruto wished he could do the reverse, but not only would that be too forward, as one of the "hosts" he actually had to pay attention... and his mother thought that old orange jumpsuit he wore once for a gag was bad! This pink ... " _thing_ " was an eyesore without equal!

He was far beyond "happy" to see it leave.

"Is it gone?" Kushina's voice came from his chest.

"I hope so," Naruto responded with a small shiver, "if I never see that thing again, it will be too soon."

"Agreed," came a quiet voice from behind him. Turning his head, he noticed that his Knight, Tier, was actually attempting to hide behind him. That was more than a little strange for the normally unflappable woman.

Tier Harribel was something of an oddity in Naruto's opinion, but she was among others who were equally odd in their own ways. She was a tall woman, and favored an odd style of sword that looked hollow. Dusky mocha skin, contrasted by medium-length bright blonde hair similar in shade to Naruto's, and deep green eyes. Her body was well toned and possessed proportions that many women would happily kill for: large breasts, slim waist, and wide hips.

Her typical outfit didn't help any man she came across, either. White hakama pants that revealed the sides of her upper thighs, and a long-sleeved white jacket that barely covered her nipples, leaving the underside of her breasts perfectly visible, but a closed, popped collar that hid the bottom half of her face. She completed the look with white tabi socks and black reed sandals. The woman was practically a walking wet dream just on her looks alone. Then if one added in her usually confident air and soft spoken ways, she became what most teen girls aspired to be.

Naruto was fully willing to be honest and admit that if he wasn't arranged to marry Kushina, he'd have fully pursued a relationship with Tier. He might have tried for Retsu, but that woman scared him with her smile. He could even have tried for Yoruichi, but she was too much like the cat she liked to turn into at times... he still wondered if she wasn't actually a kind of Nekomata, but she refused to tell him.

Tier though, Tier would tell him anything he asked about, so long as she had an answer. Anything, from her three sizes, to what the weather was like that day, or where anyone else could be found. Not that he wouldn't get answers from the rest of his Peerage if he asked them something, however, most of those answers would either be unhelpful or attempted dodging. It was simply that with Tier, if he wanted to know, and she had an answer, she would tell him, and if she didn't have an answer, she invariably did enough research to give him one.

A very open woman, his first Knight was. His second Knight... not so much. In fact, if it wasn't for Yoruichi joining him as a Rook, he was quite certain that his second Knight, Soifon, would have told him to go fuck himself when he offered her a position. Soifon was a small woman, with a lithe musculature, and a diehard lesbian. She followed his commands only because he had proven two things: First, that her "beloved mistress", Shihoin Yoruichi, obeyed him; and Second, that he was technically stronger than her in battle.

That second point was rather difficult to prove, as she was a definite speed-based fighter even before she became his Knight, and Naruto was more of a well-rounded type that preferred sword combat. However they both liked precision fighting, and so instead of a head-on battle, they chose to find out who was more accurate... he beat her out by a millimeter. A narrow win, but it was a win, and she acknowledged it.

Actually, come to think of it, that was the kind of thing he'd had to go through for most of his Peerage. He'd had to beat Retsu at chess, which was _not_ an easy task as it took him thirty-eight attempts. If he didn't know the woman better, he might have accused her of cheating.

Starrk hadn't cared and joined without a problem. He only wanted to sleep, and went through great pains to make certain he wasn't bothered. If a fight occurred, Starrk was most likely to finish it quickly, just so he could go back to sleeping. Naruto still had to wonder how such a lazy man, who was found sleeping outside the mansion gates, had grown to be such a powerhouse.

Ichigo wanted protection for his human family, not exactly easy but it was manageable. Apparently the orange-haired teen hadn't seen anything wrong with trying to get a little more out of the deal, never mind that even being offered a place in the Peerage was at the request of his father. It certainly made the serious boy an interesting acquisition.

Yoruichi was... annoying, he'd had to out-drink her. He still wasn't certain how he'd done it, but his mother wasn't happy with either of them when he came back home stinking of alcohol, and a drunk woman leaning on his shoulder. That was the night that Naruto swore off alcohol for the rest of his nearly-immortal life.

Byakuya, Grimmjow, and Zaraki all needed to have the crap beaten out of them before they joined Naruto's Peerage. Byakuya didn't want to serve under a weak King, while the other two were fight junkies. Naruto regularly let Grimmjow and Zaraki fight each other, just to get them to shut up for a bit.

Ulquiorra was interesting in that he hadn't required a fight of any kind, but rather an assurance of duty and a renewed sense of hope. The man wanted to do something with his life, but he hadn't had anything for a long time. He was filled with despair, and chose to follow someone he felt could lead him back to happiness... odd duck, but Naruto wasn't complaining.

Toushiro was another strange acquisition, in that he merely wanted help in learning to control his rampant powers. Whenever his emotions were unstable, ice and frost would accumulate in his vicinity. This caused Toushiro no end of grief when his grandmother passed away from exposure. So Naruto promised to get him the help he needed, even if it meant begging another house. It hadn't quite come to begging, but he wound up owing Sirzechs Lucifer a hefty debt for the lessons the Maou's Queen had imparted to the white-haired young man.

Naruto still lay awake some nights wondering just what the man would ask for in return.

Tier, though, Tier was different in every aspect from the others. She sought Naruto out to enter his service. She outright stated that her purpose was to find her true strength, and that she felt it could only be found in protecting someone else. That was exactly how it happened, and Naruto still couldn't believe his good fortune, but he certainly wasn't going to argue against it.

What Naruto didn't know, however, was that he was the twenty-third person she offered her services to. He was simply the first to believe that she had no other, ulterior motives. And for his belief in her, Tier had sworn to herself that she would follow him even into death, to the point that she would gladly commit suicide if he died before her. She refused to serve someone else, as no one else was worth following in her eyes.

A very dedicated woman, was his Tier. In fact she had been with him long enough that he had given the nickname of "Tia". Since she didn't object, he figured she liked it.

All these thoughts, and more, flitted through Naruto's mind as he led Kushina back into the mansion. Her Great Aunt would be leaving soon as well, and he was sure his new fiance would want to spend more time with her. Apparently, Kushina would be remaining in his house, to get to know him better before the wedding.

Yet another thing Naruto hadn't been told of. Now he had to be avenged twice over! Let the pranking begin...

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

"Well, this is goodbye for now, Kushina-chan," Mito said as she gave the younger redhead a firm hug. "I'll be sure to send you everything you didn't have time to pack, it should be here in the next couple of days."

"Thank you, Aunt Mito," Kushina said as she returned the hug with equal vigor. She had managed to pack a fair amount of things for this forced stay, on the off chance that the match up would work out, but hadn't done everything. "But you should watch out, I think Naruto-kun has a prank waiting for you," she whispered.

"Oh, I know he does, I just don't know what it is, or when he'll spring it," Mito whispered back. If she were to be honest, she was looking forward to what the young rascal had in mind for retribution for both the minor prank she'd played the day before, and the contract in general. She had actually managed to slip a few more clauses into the contract that she was sure no one had noticed yet, and at least one of them was to Naruto's benefit.

"Well, he'll probably spring it soon. After all, once you're gone, it would be difficult to prank you, right?" The younger redhead asked. It made sense, as it was definitely a hard thing to enjoy pranking someone if they weren't nearby.

"We'll see," Mito said with a small wink, then she turned to Naruto, "well young man, it was a pleasure to meet you. You take good care of Kushina, you hear me?"

Naruto nodded, a soft smile on his face, "yes, Ma'am."

"Very good," the woman said with a firm nod, before turning and entering her carriage, shortly followed by Hashirama. As the carriage rolled away, an evil grin appeared on Naruto's face. The set up had been difficult, to be sure, but if it went like he planned, it would be well worth the trouble.

"I know that grin, Naruto-kun. Just what do you have planned for Aunt Mito?" Kushina asked pointedly, coming to stand right in front of her intended. Her eyes boring into his, the expression telling him without words that she would not be denied.

Naruto adopted an innocent expression, somehow looking like a kicked fox kit. "What makes you think it was for Mito-sama?"

The girl held her ground, barely. How the hell did he have a technique nearly as devastating as her own "Puppy Dog Eyes"? It wasn't fair! It was so... _cute!_ Finally she couldn't hold against it anymore, and squealed while hugging his head to her developing chest.

"KAWAII!"

She stopped instantly, looking down only to find his disbelieving stare looking up at her. Kushina couldn't help her embarrassment at the decidedly girlish squeal. It went against everything she tried to show, that she wasn't just a girl, but a tough one! Unfortunately for Kushina, she couldn't keep an atomic blush from her face, red enough to outmatch her hair.

Naruto cleared his throat, "I didn't hear it, if you let go."

Nodding frantically, Kushina swiftly released Naruto's head from her hold, and buried her face in her hands. Damn, but that was embarrassing! And she still didn't know what Naruto had up his sleeve for Great Aunt Mito!

The blonde chuckled nervously, and rubbed the back of his head, "ah, about the prank on Mito-sama, don't worry. I made certain to keep it tame."

Her fingers opened enough to allow her to peek through at him, "tame? Tame, how?"

"Just a little something on the seats of her carriage," he replied innocently, "nothing harmful... physically."

"Uh-huh," Kushina said skeptically.

"Okay, I might have made a short visit to the Familiar Forest last night after the trouble with Duck-butt," Naruto said evasively, trying not to make eye contact.

"Naruto-kun..." the girl said with a warning tone.

"It's perfectly harmless!" He was starting to sound desperate. He didn't want to reveal his hand just yet.

"Tell me. Please?" Kushina busted out her cutest look, the Puppy-dog Eyes.

"Okay, okay," he muttered dejectedly. He should have known he'd fold quickly, he never could refuse a woman. "I may have coated the seats of her carriage with the secretions of a Forest Slime."

Kushina blinked. Then she blinked again. After a third time, Naruto was begining to get worried.

"Isn't that a creature that dissolves women's clothing?" She asked neutrally, her face blank.

"Um... yes?"

"Oh."

A moment later and Kushina was giggling, laughing hard enough she found it difficult to breathe. Assuming Naruto had done exactly what he said, the image of the upright and proper-looking Uzumaki Mito showing her now-bare butt to anyone that passed her was just too funny.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break - Mito's Carriage -XXXXXXXX**

Uzumaki Mito, Matriarch and Head of the Uzumaki Clan of the 72 Pillar Families, was currently a very busy woman. She sat straddling the lap of her husband of many years, Senju Hashirama, in a fierce liplock, completely naked. Eventually breaking the passionate kiss, she held her forehead to Hashirama's and panted for breath.

"You know, we should probably send that little rascal a 'Thank You'," the man said teasingly, "I haven't seen this side of you in years."

"Mm, I know," she hummed contently, albeit with an incredibly naughty smile. "We'll thank him at the wedding, but right now, there's something else I want."

Hashirama chuckled, "and as your loving husband, I shall endeavor to grant your every needy desire, Love."

Soon the two were once again too busy for words, and their driver was seriously wishing the damned carriage was soundproof. He was too old for this shit, and he hadn't wanted to know that Lady Mito was a screamer!

Eight hundred years of service in the employ of the Uzumaki Clan, and for the first time, he was contemplating retirement.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break - Naruto and Kushina -XXXXXXXX**

A few hours later, Naruto and Kushina were enjoying a moment together in the garden again, when a loud voice rang out, "you know, I keep telling Haruo that his security sucks. This is the fourth time I've practically waltzed in... if I knew how to dance, I might have tried it."

Looking over the two teens saw a tall man with dark hair and eyes, dressed in black jeans, sneakers, white shirt, and black jacket. He had a self-satisfied smirk plastered on his face, and Naruto's eyes lit up in recognition.

"Uncle Kugo? What are you doing here?" The blonde asked, excitement in his tone. He rarely saw his uncle, so rarely that the last time was at his mother's funeral.

"Your father managed to send me a message. Congrats on your engagement, kid, looks like your old man managed to get you a good match." The man's smile held for a few more moments before it dropped from his face. "We need to talk, Naruto. Alone, Ginjo to Ginjo."

 **XXXXXXXX- Ending Notes -XXXXXXXX**

I figure I'll try to keep an updated set of Peerages, including Naruto's, even if it isn't likely to change... it's also to remind me of the current status of the Peerages.

Next up, the man who issued the challenge for this story has found issues with a few things. I hope to fix some of that in the coming chapters. However, should he have any further issue with the way I'm telling this story... well, I guess we'll have a problem. Patience is the key here, and mine is in very short supply. I suppose, should he and I continue to have issue, I'll simply have to change many of the characters, as the basic storyline is still my own. The only bright sight would be that it's still early enough that a rewrite would not be too large a task.

KING: Namikaze Naruto

QUEEN: Unohana Retsu

BISHOP: Ulquiorra Cifer, Coyote Starrk

KNIGHT: Tier Harribel. Soifon (actual spelling is Suì-Fēng, but that's just too much work)

ROOK: Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Shihoin Yoruichi

PAWN: Zaraki Kenpachi, Kuchiki Byakuya, Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kurosaki Ichigo

KING: Kushina

QUEEN: Uchiha Madara

BISHOP: Sarutobi Hiruzen, Hatake Kakashi

KNIGHT: Uchiha Mikoto, Momochi Zabuza

ROOK: Senju Tsunade, Inuzuka Tsume

PAWN: Maito Gai, Konan, Mitarashi Anko, (two unused Pieces)

Now, for the open spot, I've got a poll up on my profile with the most popular choices so far, so please, help me pick one.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** Chapter Four... Woo-hoo? Okay, in deference to my challenger, I had to make a rather large change to Naruto, and it takes place in this chapter. Don't worry, I didn't have to go back and change anything, more of an addition.

Next, I have been asked if Mikoto will be added to Naruto's "eventual harem". The answer is no. I have a different man in mind for her, and I'm fairly certain it will come as a surprise to all of you.

Now then, you all voted, and our winner for Kushina's Peerage member is... Terumi Mei by a landslide. So I'll be finding a way to work her into the Peerage sometime in the coming chapters.

Thanks still to my Beta, Dreaming of the Moon, and a shout to my fellow Dreamer, Noodlehammer!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, Bleach, or High School DxD

 **Chapter 04: Problems in the Family**

"Ginjo to Ginjo?" Naruto asked once he and Kugo were alone, Kushina having retreated to the doorway of the house. "Uncle, despite the fact I call you that, you have never before recognized that I'm related to you. We both put up the facade for Mother's sake, so let's skip the bullshit."

Kugo just laughed, not at all put out by the bluntness of the statement. "Alright, brat. I want the ring your mother left you two years ago. So give it over."

"No." There was no hesitation, and no tremor in Naruto reply. "You want it? You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead, hands. Assuming you got through my Peerage first."

The man narrowed his eyes, his easy demeanor dropping quickly. "You know I can just kill you now, right? There's no need for me to go through your Peerage."

Naruto waved one finger in the air, "Tsk, tsk, Uncle. You should know by now that even if you get past my father's security, you have tripped Unohana's ten times over."

Kugo looked around nervously. He wasn't necessarily scared of Naruto's Queen, but that damned smile was unnerving! Finally his eyes landed on the shadows of a tree behind him a couple dozen yards, and standing by the base was the very woman in question, creepy smile and all. And she wasn't alone, a large man with wild black hair stood just behind her.

Gulping quietly, Kugo asked, "who's the extra thug, kid?"

"Hm?" Naruto glanced in the same direction, "Oh, that's Uchiha Madara, Kushina-chan's Queen. He's taken a rather strong liking to Retsu since last night. Aside from that, shouldn't you be worried about the rest of them as well?"

Naruto's eyes panned around the garden, seemingly at random, stopping frequently, easily finding the other members of his Peerage in the area. It was always like this when Kugo came around, Retsu was alerted somehow, and she alerted everyone else. Naruto was never undefended, and his uncle should know that by this point.

"Dammit, Naruto! You don't even know what that ring can do if you aren't careful with it!" Kugo burst out, a true hint of worry in his tone. He knew of Uchiha Madara, who didn't? The man was a freaking legend! And he had taken a shine to Naruto's Queen? SHIT!

"Enlighten me," the blonde responded. "Go on, tell me how destructive this ring is in the hands of the untrained."

"It's not that, you stupid, contrary-minded brat!" The man exploded, his irritation clear even to Kushina, as far away as she was. "That ring has power you don't know about, because your mother didn't know about it!"

"And you do? The man passed over by Grandfather Koga, for my mother?" Naruto's skepticism was thick enough to cut with a butter knife.

"Yes!" Kugo shouted, pulling his hair in frustration.

He was under no illusion that he could kill Naruto before one of the kid's Peerage got to them, Naruto taught all of his Peerage how to use the Namikaze Soul Sword magic, and with it came the introduction to a number of fun abilities. The main one that Kugo knew of was called "Shunpo", Flash Step, and aside from Zaraki all of Naruto's Peerage mastered the move to a degree. It allowed for near-instantaneous movement of the user, Yoruichi in particular loved the technique, enough that she had earned the nickname "Goddess of Flash".

Naruto sighed, "I suppose you are referring to it's ability to summon a massive, armed fortress? One that reacts only to our Fullbringer power, and fires concentrated blasts of Gray Energy?"

Gray Energy, as it was called, was the rare fusion of Light and Dark. Few even knew such a fusion existed, and those few knew the destructive capability of that energy. Apparently the Ginjo clan's Fullbring magic was based on that very fusion, and thus was the only way to use the fortress's weapons.

It also caused the Ginjo clan, despite it's member's many military achievements, to become ostracized from the rest of devil society

Kugo stared, stunned. "How'd you-?"

"Mother's diary," the blonde boy said simply. "She was perfectly aware of that particular power. She never wanted to use it though. Can you guess why?"

"Because she was a weak-willed, pathetic excuse for a devil!" Kugo snarled. "With that fortress the ancient ways could be brought back!"

Naruto shook his head. Normally hearing his mother disparaged like that would piss him off, but not this time. "The hollow bark of a defeated dog. She didn't use it, Uncle, because she saw that the ancient ways were ruining our chances of survival! You're not stupid, Ginjo Kugo! So use that gray matter in that thick skull of yours, and think!"

"Wha-" He was interrupted by Naruto's continuing speech.

"Our numbers were decimated in the Great War! Our reproductive abilities are below that of even demons! Then there was the civil war between the Satan and Anti-Satan groups, which dwindled our already small numbers even further! _THINK_ , Uncle, if that fortress is used, even more of us will die for _nothing!_ If you can't see the truth of this, then you don't deserve to wear that amulet, nor wield the power of the sword within it." Naruto declared emphatically, his eyes flashing with his determination, and his tone daring Kugo to deny his words.

And for the life of him, Kugo found he couldn't deny the truth set out before him. Kana had always tried to tell him these same facts, he realized, but she had tried to do so gently. It was that same gentleness that made Kugo ignore what she was saying, and led him to believe that she knew nothing about the ring, but if what Naruto said was true... it wasn't that Kana didn't know, but rather that she knew too well.

Kugo chuckled sadly, and his hand reached for the pendant around his neck. It was a fairly simple thing, a small silver X-shaped thing. However, like the ring he was just arguing about, it held a great deal more power than many would expect. It was, in fact, one half of the equation to Kugo's full power.

Ripping the pendant from the chain it was attached to, Kugo held it in his open palm for a moment, before a full-sized, wide-bladed claymore appeared in his hand. Ignoring the sudden tense atmosphere, Kugo made eye contact with Naruto. "Tell me, nephew... did Kana ever tell you of my unique trick within the Fullbring magic?"

Naruto tilted his head a little to one side, his right hand making a gesture to his Peerage to hold position. "Something about being able to give or take power, but she wasn't very specific or clear."

The man chuckled again, "yeah, that's the gist of it. I can choose to give more power to, or absorb power from, those I cut with this sword. Well, actually, it takes a little more."

He pulled out a strange pentagon-shaped piece of wood with an oddly designed skull on it, then placed it of the crosspiece of the sword. A moment later, and there was now a skull design added to the sword's guard, and a formerly gold section at the base of the blade turned black. Oh, and Kugo now wore what appeared to be a kind of bone-and-cloth armor.

"Okay, yeah, that doesn't look intimidating." Naruto said drily. "Tell me why I shouldn't let Zaraki and Grimmjow at you?"

"Cross of Scaffold, my Fullbring at nearly it's strongest. I want you to have it, Nephew. As thanks for opening my eyes, and I suppose you could call it a delayed gift for all those birthdays I missed." Kugo said, "the only thing is, I'll need to stab you with it while you have your mother's Fullbring active."

"Yeah... That sounds like a bad idea to me." The boy deadpanned. "Besides, it's not just Mother's Fullbring. It's mine. You, of all people, should know that our Fullbring is the power of our magic through an item we are intimately familiar with. Each one of us has their own unique ability, yours apparently being the absorption of power. In it's own way, it's very similar to the Namikaze Soul Sword magic."

"I know that," Kugo said with a grin, "I was joking about the stabbing thing anyway. Besides, if I did stab you, I'd have your Peerage in a race to see who stabbed me first in retaliation."

"Damn right," Naruto muttered, "so what do you really need?"

"From you?" The older man asked, getting a nod, "nothing. Just take the sword."

"That's it?"

"That's it. When you take hold of the hilt, I'll channel the magic into you, and Cross of Scaffold, and all the abilities I've connected to it, such as that power absorption, will be yours." Kugo said seriously. "This is a one-time trick for me, Naruto. After this, I'll be reliant upon you to take care of the Ginjo name."

Naruto reached out, taking firm grasp of the sword's hilt, "no need to tell me that, Uncle. I fully intended to uphold both names anyway."

Power flowed from Kugo to Naruto, appearing as powerful arcs of spiritual electricity. The transfer didn't last long, only a few minutes, but for those minutes Naruto's world was reduced to white-hot agony. If his uncle was feeling the same kind of pain, and the blonde boy was certainly _hoping_ that was the case, then it was no wonder it would be a "one-time trick".

When the arcs of power ceased passing from Kugo, Naruto fell to his knees, but he looked very different than he had a moment before. Now he held Cross of Scaffold tightly in his right hand, and wore the same bone-like armor that Kugo did a few minutes earlier. Kugo, on the other hand, was back to his casual outfit.

"Damn," the man said, cracking his neck, "that was more than a 'little sting'."

"No shit," Naruto snarked in pain.

"Ah, by the way, kid," Kugo said with an irritating smile, "there's still one more level to that sword. You can think of it like your Soul Sword, those 'Zanpakuto'? The sword alone is the 'Sealed' state, sword and armor is 'Shikai', and then there's a 'Bankai' as well. But you'll have to figure that one out for yourself. There's no fun in just giving you all the answers."

"You're a dick, Uncle. I hate you so much right now." Naruto's voice was a little stronger, the pain was slow to leave though.

The man just chuckled, quickly followed by a gasp of pain and clutched his ribs. "Yeah, well, I'm not exactly peachy either, kid. You're going to have to experiment with that sword and it's abilities on your own time, though. You know I can't stick around."

Naruto just fell to his butt and waved Kugo off, "yeah, yeah. Oh, thinking of Mom though. You weren't there for most of her Will reading. She left you something."

The older man looked up a little, "really, Kana left me something?"

Nodding, Naruto dismissed the armor and sword back into the cross pendant and wooden badge, before reaching into his jacket's inside pocket and pulling out a small box. "I don't know what's in it, but it's what she wanted you to have."

Kugo took the box, and gently opened it. Tears began streaming from his eyes as he looked upon whatever was inside, and with shaking fingers he removed the item. A silver broach, handmade from what Naruto could see, with an inscription that he couldn't quite make out on the back.

"I thought she got rid of this. She didn't wear it anymore," Kugo's voice was thick with emotion.

Naruto just shook his head. "She stated in her will, she stopped wearing it because of the rift growing between you two. She wanted her big brother back."

"Thought you said you didn't know what was in there?" The man asked with a sad smile.

Naruto snorted. "I didn't have to look at it to know it was something like a pendant or broach. The box wasn't big enough for much else."

Kushina was suddenly by Naruto's side, pulling his arm over her shoulders and helping him to stand again. "I take it the 'Ginjo to Ginjo' part is done?"

Kugo chuckled, gripping the broach tightly. "Yeah, it's done, little Miss. You take care of him, alright?"

"What will you do now, Uncle? Without Cross of Scaffold you're basically defenseless." Naruto asked, his expression still somewhat pained.

"You really don't know what this is, do you, Gaki?" Kugo grinned, a sudden burst of light and he was holding a wide-bladed katana, decorated with designs of blue dragons. "Sapphire of Dragon Gate. I made this for your mother when we were kids, long before the brouhaha about that damned ring. Aside from that cross pendant, there is no item I could be more intimately familiar with."

"Didn't know you were a jeweler, Uncle. Or a silversmith, for that matter." The boy's curiosity was easy to hear.

"Oh, yes, Kugo was a prodigy at craftsmanship before all that nonsense with that ring." A strident voice called.

Turning their heads, they saw Namikaze Haruo standing there, hands clasped behind his back, and a sad smile on his face. Behind him stood a good half of the mansion's security forces.

"Kugo, despite past disagreements, it's still good to see you. Though I do wish you'd stop sneaking in, you're making my security jumpy." Haruo said with a small frown taking the place of his earlier smile.

Kugo snorted, "then they should do their jobs better."

Haruo sighed in response and waved his security members back to their posts. "So, what will you do, Kugo? Naruto's right in one aspect. You've given away perhaps your strongest ability, one you are rather infamous for, and are reduced to wielding a blade you made for your sister."

The dark haired man laughed, "come now, Haruo! You know me better than that! Yes, I gave the kid a rather infamous and frowned upon power, but I am hardly defenseless. I suppose I'll just have to disappear again."

"Or you could remain, and train Naruto in the use of that sword," Haruo said lightly.

"Wha-?"

"Despite our differences, you are Kana-chan's elder brother, and she loved you deeply. Finding a way to pardon you for your past crimes is the least I can do in her memory." Haruo said solemnly.

Kugo's mouth worked, but no sound came out, causing him to do a credible imitation of a landed fish. Naruto couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his uncle's face, even as he looped both the silver cross and the wooden badge to his belt with his right hand, his left still around Kushina's shoulders. The blonde was finding the position to be surprisingly comfortable, and he was reluctant to release his hold.

The black-haired man finally managed a smile, "thanks for the offer, Haruo, but we both know Naruto's Peerage would kill me within a week. Or I'd go nuts. Feel free to find a method to pardon me, but we both know I've got the wanderlust."

Haruo snorted, "no shit, really?"

Kugo's eyebrows shot up, "did you just curse?"

"I don't know what you might be referring to," the blonde man replied primly, the very picture of nobility.

"Ri~ght, I think I'll just mosey along... while I'm still reasonably sure the universe isn't ending." Kugo deadpanned.

"Dad... you cursed," Naruto whispered loudly from beside the two men.

"No I didn't, you're imagining things due to power transfer."

"Yeah, no. You cursed." The boy said with finality.

Haruo started sweating, "how much is it going to cost me for you to not mention that to your grandmother?"

Naruto's eyes lit up, "oh, I'll think of something."

"Naruto-sama, Haruo-sama," Retsu's voice cut between the two Namikaze like a knife. "Your guest left."

The two blonde men blinked, and turned in tandem to where Kugo had been standing, only to find the spot empty. The only indications that the man had actually been there was the slight burn scarring on the ground from during the power transfer, and a set of footprints.

"I hate it when he does that," they both muttered.

Kushina just giggled.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

Naruto and Kushina sat together with their Peerages in the Great Hall, allowing Naruto to rest from his encounter with his uncle. Kushina's eyes never left his face, and even though she had been in physical contact with him earlier, she felt the desire to hug him close again. So to distract herself, she asked a question that was bugging her.

"Ah, Naruto-kun?" She was rewarded with his gaze shifting to her with a raised eyebrow, "I could hear part of your conversation with your uncle, what did you mean when you said that the Fullbring magic was unique to each person?"

"I meant just that," he said with a small shrug. "No two are ever the same."

"But you said last night, you inherited your mother's..." she said nervously, wondering if she crossing a line she shouldn't.

"Oh. That." Naruto grimaced. She would remember that. He sighed, and let his head flop back against the wall behind him. "I wasn't lying, I did inherit Mother's Fullbring. I just didn't bother to mention _how_ I inherited it, and if it's all the same to you, I'd like to keep it that way for a while longer."

"Then does that mean you have a third Fullbring, your own?" She asked. It made sense, if he obtained his mother's power somehow, and now had his uncle's too, he should have his own as well.

Another sigh, "no. I don't. I lacked the personal item to give enough of a damn about to bring out my own ability. I was always more attached to people, rather than items."

"I see." Kushina did understand, at least somewhat. She came from a clan that valued each member as if they were immediate family, and cared little for the decorations they might have.

He continued, as if she hadn't said anything. "For a time it was thought that I was born without the Fullbring magic, and was forced into focusing on manifesting a Zanpakuto instead. 'The power of the Soul, specifically formed for the purpose of combat'. That is how the Zanpakuto is described. Mine... basically told me to screw off."

Kushina blinked, "but you're called a prodigy of both sides of your family's magics."

Naruto snorted, "prodigy? Me? That's a good one."

Tier spoke up before he could dig himself any further, "Naruto-sama truthfully has no talent for either magic. Everything he has accomplished so far has been through training harder than anyone."

"What she said," he responded with a wave of his hand. "I'm not talented, I just work harder, and make it _look_ easy. I can do that second part _because_ I worked so hard, and practiced so much that it's very much like muscle memory. Tier, how many times did I collapse from all that work?"

"One-thousand, nine-hundred, and fourteen times since I joined your Peerage, Naruto-sama." The blonde woman replied without hesitation.

Naruto chuckled, "if I didn't know better, Tia, I'd think you memorized that number just to poke my pride every now and then."

"That was Unohana-san." She replied stoically.

Naruto just sweatdropped. Of course Retsu would do that. The woman practically lived to keep him humble. And damned if she wasn't good at it.

And there was Kushina's giggle again. "I like her," the redhead said. "ne, ne, Tier-chan, right?"

Receiving a nod, "I think I'm going to host a Girl's Night, in my room. You definitely have to come, alright?"

Another silent nod was the only answer Tier gave, but Retsu already had a glint in her eye that told Kushina that she knew what the young girl was up to. She didn't mind though, a "Girl's Night" hadn't been done since Yoruichi's birthday a few years prior, when the black Nekomatta managed to get them all drunk.

"Huh," Naruto grunted, a grin forming, "if you're calling a Girl's Night, I'm grabbing the others for a Guy's Night, and calling the use of the Rec Room. Besides, it's a good idea to get to know each other's Peerage, since we're all gonna be living together."

"Hm," Kushina put one finger to her chin in a cute thinking pose, "you have a point. And did you know that married Kings are never matched up in Rating Games? So it's not like we can ever use the information against each other... well, unless one of us goes rogue."

Both Peerages had a good laugh at the thought. The very idea of either King going rogue was just too funny. They were both consummate pranksters, and enjoyed a good, or not-so-good, joke, but ultimately they liked the current state of peace their society had. Even if it was only termed a ceasefire, it resulted in a prosperous time for devil kind, and allowed the two of them to meet.

Yeah, going rogue wasn't really an option in either of their minds.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break - Girl's Night - Kushina's Room -XXXXXXXX**

Kushina bounced a little on her bed, a wide grin on her face. "So, Tier-chan, how long have you had a crush on Naruto-kun?"

The blonde woman's face lit up in an uncharacteristic blush, which made her glad for the high collar of her jacket, but her voice remained even, "I don't know what you mean, Kushina-sama."

"Ufufu, I believe it was from day one, Kushina-sama," Retsu said from her place on a large couch that decorated the room. "Dear Tier-chan was just smitten by his boyish charm."

"Unohana-san!" Tier protested. "It was no such thing! It was-!" She stopped suddenly, realizing she had been played. Her face sank even further behind the protection of her raised collar as she heard snickers from the other women in the room.

"Ho~, so you _do_ have a crush on him, Tier-chan." Kushina said knowingly, "or, is it something more? Come on, you can me, it's only us girl's here."

"Yes," the blonde woman replied quietly, "day one."

Retsu and Kushina blinked. "Really?" She asked, "I was just kidding about that."

"It's true, though it wasn't that 'boyish charm', as you put it," Tier said softly, "if anything, I think it may have been his words when he accepted me. They were powerful and sincere, especially for one as young as he was at the time."

Unohana smiled gently, "I remember; 'You are a strong woman, Tier Harribel, and those who refused you before are fools for not seeing this. I would be proud to have you by my side, and share all our trials together'." The woman quoted solemnly, "yes, those are strong words for a child to wield."

Tier merely nodded, having heard the echoes of those words in her mind and heart ever since the day they were first spoken to her. Those words, and his actions over the years, had cemented her allegiance to him as nothing else could, for he never went back upon them. Naruto never called her loyalty into question, never blamed her for things that were out of her control, never disparaged her for her gender, and was always willing to share the burdens alongside his Peerage.

Kushina held a look of wonder, "he said those words? There are few men who would openly admit to a woman's strength."

Tier nodded again, "yes, those were his words. Naruto-sama willingly bears the hopes and dreams of his Peerage on his shoulders. In return we carry his future."

Yoruichi placed one hand on Tier's shoulder from behind, "right you are, Tier-chan. And together, we can do anything. Now enough of this serious talk! Retsu-chan! Was I imagining things, or are you getting interested in Madara-san?"

"Ufufu, now, now," Retsu said with an unnerving smile, "ladies don't kiss and tell, right?"

The dark-skinned woman nodded her head from her new hiding place behind Tier. How she hated that damned smile! And Maou forfend if Unohana had to repeat herself. The woman had scared the current Leviathan with that smile! And that woman was said to be irrepressible.

"I have an idea!" Kushina said suddenly, an evil grin on her face, "makeover on Tier-chan!"

Yoruichi instantly pounced on the idea, the blonde woman as well. Soon clothes were flying every which way as more of the women got into the play. Several minutes of pushing, shoving, and arguing later, the others stood back to see the fruits of their labors, and many were feeling somewhat inadequate.

Tier was still in white, that much hadn't changed, but now her outfit practically flaunted a sex appeal that a man would _have_ be both gay and blind not to take notices of. And even then, Kushina was certain they'd still get a hard on.

Replacing Tier's usual tabi and sandal were knee-high heeled boots, the hakama was now a pleated short skirt with black accents that barely came down to the middle of her thigh, elbow-length white gloves, and a deep-necked halter-style white shirt covered her upper chest, leaving her toned stomach still visible. Her hair was the same messy style it was before, but now it had two braided lengths, one to each temple. The biggest change was that her face was now fully visible, allowing for a view of slightly pouting lips, and softly-angular features.

Kushina whistled in appreciation, "damn, Tier-chan. If you'd dressed like this, Naruto-kun might already have married you."

The blonde blushed heavily, but her voice was filled with a gentle despair, "it doesn't really matter now, does it? He's yours."

The redhead wagged one finger in the air, "tut-tut, Tier-chan. Don't you remember the rules about multi-house heirs? Those who are to carry on the lines for two or more families?"

Tier's eyes widened, "b-but! Naruto-sama is a Namikaze! He doesn't carry the Ginjo name."

"Ah, that might have been true yesterday, " Kushina replied with a smile, "but did you forget what happened earlier? Ginjo Kugo gave up his unique trait to Naruto-kun, and told him to 'take care of the family name'. That made Naruto-kun eligible for multiple wives, at least one for each name."

The other women's eyes widened to the same proportions as Tier's. Really? That young King could have more than one wife?

"Though there is something more to that law," Retsu said as she regained herself quickly, "the second bride must be approved by the first, and a third must be approved by both the first and second. And so on down the line, each one must be approved by all the ones preceding them. The husband can bring in a nominee, but the final decision lays with the wives."

"That's true, Retsu-chan," Kushina said, "and in this case, the first wife would be me. So I literally have control over Naruto-kun's future harem, such as I allow it to become."

A snort came from the far corner of the room, and heads turned to see the one woman who hadn't joined in on the makeover; Soifon. Seeing she had their attention, she said scathingly, "as much as I'm not fond of men in general, even I know that Naruto-sama isn't one to contemplate multiple partners. If you want him to yourself, all you have to do is keep your mouth shut, Kushina-sama."

The red-haired girl tilted her head a little, "but you, as his Knight, Soi-chan, should know that I, alone, will not be able to restrain his antics. I'll need help, and I believe that Tier-chan would be perfect for that."

Kushina was no stranger to the concept of a harem, and while she realized the truth about Naruto probably needing one, she wanted to limit her interaction in it to the barest minimum. Two women still counted as a harem, right?

Another snort from the petite Knight was her answer, "don't call me that."

 **XXXXXXXX - Break - Guy's Night - Rec Room -XXXXXXXX**

Pizza boxes, pop bottles, water jugs, juice containers, even the odd beer keg, were on a table against one wall. The Rec Room of the Namikaze estate was a large affair, with it's own complete theater, multiple pool tables, bumper pool, poker tables, and damn near everything else needed for a stereotypical "Man Cave".

"A little much, don't you think, Naruto-sama?" Madara asked from a plush recliner he was currently occupying. He may have thought it too much, but damn if that chair wasn't comfortable.

"Maybe, but I was given a budget and told to make something that would keep me out of pranks for at least a year," the blonde replied easily from his own chair, waving his hand at the room, "this was what I came up with."

Madara chuckled, "does Kushina-sama even know about this room?"

"Of course, I covered it in the Grand Tour yesterday night," Naruto said, sounding vaguely offended. "She was rather interested in just how much all of this cost."

"How much did this cost, Naruto-sama?" Byakuya asked, finally tearing his eyes away from the movie choice that was playing.

"Hm?" Naruto thought about it for a minute, obviously trying to recall, before shrugging, "several hundred thousand of that, what was it called now? Ah yes, 'U.S. Dollars'. I think there are mansions that cost less to build than this one room."

"Hyah-hah! Yeah, that's probably true, Naruto!" Grimmjow laughed, his tankard of beer waving in the air in a sloppy kind of salute.

Naruto stared at the drunk Panther yokai, a rare variety of the Nekomata race, more attuned to stealth and physical combat that any of the other sub-types. "Grimmjow, I thought we had an agreement. You don't drink alcohol, and I don't let Yoruichi use you for a scratching post. So why do you have a mug of beer?"

"Aw, don't be like that, Boss!" Grimmjow laughed, "It's just a little cup! Hah-hah!"

"Grimmjow. Tomorrow your ass is Yoruichi's. Got it?" Naruto said with a fake smile, a strange red mist appearing behind him with a demonic fox mask within it.

The panther started sweating, inadvertently causing his hand to shake and drop the tankard. "Y-yeah," he gulped hard, suddenly sober, "got it, Boss."

The mask and miasma vanished, and Naruto's smile was once again genuine, "that's good, Grimmjow. It's always good to be honest and understanding. Now, I believe you have a mess to clean up."

"R-right, I'll do that," Grimmjow said as he quickly moved to find a towel to clean the spilled beer.

"That was an interesting technique, Naruto-sama, just what is it?" Madara asked, clearly intrigued.

Naruto returned his attention to the elder man, and his smile widened, "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Madara-san. What technique? I simply helped my Rook understand that he made a mistake."

The older devil laughed. "Yes, you are quite right, Naruto-sama. I'm sure that my mind was merely playing tricks on me."

Every other person in the room had a shiver run up their spine. _'If only it was only you, Madara!'_ was the collective thought.

"I wonder what the girls are talking about?" Naruto mused.

Madara shrugged, and settled into his chair a bit more. "If there is one thing I learned in my previous marriage, it is to leave women's thoughts, to the women. Because it's far above my comprehension."

The others in the room could only chuckle in agreement.

 **XXXXXXXX- Ending Notes -XXXXXXXX**

Alright, standing Peerages at this time. I'm also going to give you the races I'm giving the characters, you know, before some of them became devils... or at least the ones I've figured out.

KING: Namikaze Naruto (Devil)

QUEEN: Unohana Retsu (Devil)

BISHOP: Ulquiorra Cifer (Bat Yokai), Coyote Starrk (Coyote Yokai)

KNIGHT: Tier Harribel (Devil). Soifon (?)

ROOK: Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez (Panther Yokai), Shihoin Yoruichi (Nekomata)

PAWN: Zaraki Kenpachi (?), Kuchiki Byakuya (Devil), Hitsugaya Toushiro (Ice Apparition), Kurosaki Ichigo (Human-Devil-Fallen Hybrid)

KING: Kushina (Devil)

QUEEN: Uchiha Madara (Devil)

BISHOP: Sarutobi Hiruzen (Human/Magic Knight), Hatake Kakashi (Devil)

KNIGHT: Uchiha Mikoto (Devil), Momochi Zabuza (Half-Oni)

ROOK: Senju Tsunade (Half-Demon/Medicine Woman), Inuzuka Tsume (Human/Beast Tamer)

PAWN: Maito Gai (?), Konan (Fallen Angel), Mitarashi Anko (Lamia), (two unused Pieces)


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Thanks to Crytach for the suggestion for a race for Soifon. I'll be doing some research into it, just so I don't get the facts wrong.

As always, thanks go out to my Beta, Dreaming of the Moon. Check his stuff out, if you haven't already!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, Bleach, or High School DxD

 **Chapter 05: A Visit to the Uzumaki... And a New Problem?**

Three months had passed since Ginjo Kugo had passed Cross of Scaffold to Naruto, and the blonde boy was finally starting to get the hang of wielding such a damnably large blade. Seriously, the thing was as long as he was tall! Granted that was the entire thing, but a good half of the length was the freaking handle!

Naruto also had to contend with an oddly aggressive and out-going Tier, who was suddenly flashing as much of her skin and other assets as she could without being sluttish. She was even starting to insist on helping him bathe!

He was starting to feel awkward around his, admittedly favorite, Peerage member. She was following him everywhere, insisting on being around him as much as she possibly could. He had little doubt though, that he would have welcomed her attention if Kushina hadn't come into his life.

Speaking of Kushina, she was actually _encouraging_ Tier's actions, going so far as to invite the blonde woman on their dates! Oh, the embarrassment of the time he'd made a reservation for two... that was actually just last week, and it had prompted Kushina to finally lift the veil of confusion.

He had been beyond shocked to learn that because his uncle had told him to carry on the Ginjo name, he was now bound to take a second wife. She just had to be approved by Kushina first, and the redhead had chosen Tier. Why? He didn't know, and figured it would be better if he didn't ask.

Naruto shook his head and glanced around his personal training room, which he decided to share with Kushina and both Peerages... so it wasn't really "his" anymore. Either way, Cross of Scaffold was in his right hand, in it's initial state. Being a magical construct of sorts, the weapon didn't really have a weight to it, but the size did make it awkward to wield.

However, Naruto had been discovering that the sword, by itself, had at least one ability that he was finding somewhat cool: concentrate magic and then slash it forward in an arched wave that explodes on contact. The biggest downside that he had found about it was the staggering amount of magic it cost him. It wasn't an insurmountable quantity, but it was a good three times what he used for his highest level spell. Which basically amounted to one-quarter his full magic reserves.

Not fun. Cool? Yes, no doubts. But fun? No.

He glanced at a clock on the wall, 7am. Not bad, a three hour practice session. Naruto was certain that his old combat teacher would have been satisfied... for ten minutes. That woman was a slave driver!

Shrugging away the miscellaneous thoughts, he picked up his towel and headed for the attached shower room. He had just enough time to clean himself up, then meet Kushina and their Peerages for breakfast. Following that was something Naruto equally dreaded, and anticipated.

A week long trip to visit the Uzumaki.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break - Kushina's Room -XXXXXXXX**

Kushina sat on a stool in front of a large mirror, Mikoto behind her with a hair brush. The older woman had a smile on her face as she gently ran the brush through the girl's long hair, marveling at just how soft she managed to keep it. Mikoto had been doing this since the first morning after she joined Kushina's Peerage, primarily as a method of getting to know the excitable girl better.

"I don't know why you insist on this morning ritual, Miko-chan," the girl whined.

"Because it allows us time together, Ku-chan," Mikoto giggled. "And, while it may be a bit presumptuous of me, when I'm doing this it almost feels like I'm spending time with my own daughter."

Kushina's petulant expression softened into a smile. She knew that Mikoto had always wanted a little girl, but was instead given two sons, one which went rogue and the other a reject of the clan... not exactly the greatest reputation to have as a mother. However, Kushina was certain that if the woman had been gifted with a daughter, the girl would have had suitors lining up for her hand.

Sighing, Kushina gave in, "alright, Miko-chan. But you know how hard it is for me to sit still, right? I could be spending time with Naruto-kun, planning pranks, watching Naruto-kun, eating breakfast, holding Naruto-kun, teasing Tier-chan, kissing Naruto-kun..."

Mikoto giggled, "sounds like you're already head over heels for this young man, my King. It's only been a few months, and he's your every second thought."

The girl blushed, her face matching the color of her hair. "I can't help it, Miko-chan. It just feels so... right, to be with him."

"Hm," Mikoto hummed in thought, running the brush through the long red locks. "And what about Tier-san? What made you approve her, when it was obvious that even Retsu-san had a little something for him?"

Kushina sighed, her bangs hiding her eyes, "because, as much as it pains me to say it, I know she will never try to one-up me. Retsu-chan is a very dominant personality, there would be times where she would attempt to control the flow of the relationship, and I can't have that. Yoru-chan is too much like me, and it's never a good idea to have too much of any one personality in such a relationship. Soi-chan is obviously uninterested, so even if I offered she'd shoot me down. I suppose I could have chosen from my own Peerage, or even an Extra Devil family, but it just feels weird to try and think of sharing Naruto-kun with one of you. As for the Extra Devils... They just never crossed my mind."

The woman sweatdropped. All the previous reasons were fairly well thought out, but the Extra devils didn't even enter in to the equation? She couldn't help the small chuckle that bubbled up as she hugged the girl from behind, "oh, Ku-chan, whatever will I do with you?"

Kushina grinned impishly, as she raised her head just enough to look into the woman's eyes in the mirror, "I don't know, Miko-chan... maybe have a double wedding? I know Retsu-chan and Madara are still feeling each other out, but I saw those looks you were giving Byakuya last month. I guess you really like the strong, noble types, huh?"

Mikoto blushed profusely, she had been so certain the two of them were being discrete. She had actually started "dating" Kuchiki Byakuya about a week after the fiasco with Sasuke. Something about him drew her, the serious facade that hid a caring heart, the way he never let anything weigh him down... he even managed to ride out one of Naruto and Kushina's pranks with elegant poise.

Neat trick, that. Mikoto had almost begged for his secret, but he seemingly took pity on her and told her anyway. _"No matter what, don't react. It kills their fun."_

Words to live by in the Peerage of a prankster.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Kushina," the woman tried to divert, if she allowed the girl to continue this train of thought, Mikoto had no doubt she -Mikoto- would be embarrassed all day! "Oh, look at the time! Naruto-sama should be heading for breakfast right now!"

In a heartbeat, the stool was empty of a certain redhead, and the bedroom doors were swinging on well-oiled hinges.

Mikoto breathed a quiet sigh of relief. It looked like she dodged a bullet there, thank the Maou for an easily distracted King like Kushina. She placed the brush she had been using down on a large dresser, and turned to follow the girl, only to find her King looking back at her from the doorway with a wide grin on her face.

"Oh, Miko-chan, don't think I forgot about you and Byakuya-san!" Kushina sang out before vanishing.

"Damn it," the woman muttered. She'd never hear the end of this.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -Breakfast Table -XXXXXXXX**

Naruto sat at a small table, Kushina and Tier on either side of him. Glancing to his left at the blonde woman, he was glad she had decided to return to her original outfit, as the one he saw her in a few months ago after the Girl's Night was just too stimulating. That damned skirt rode up her hips with every step! While it was a nice view, he didn't really need to know she liked white g-string thongs.

The upside to that event was that Kushina joined her in wearing that outfit, and he learned that his now-favorite redhead liked violet. Now _that_ was a sight Naruto would treasure, and revisit many times in his dreams.

At the moment, however, Naruto's focus was upon two couples, one fairly obvious, and the other attempting to be discrete: Madara and Retsu, and Byakuya and Mikoto. The first two were obvious, if only for the fact that they made no attempt to hide their growing interest in each other. There were even bets on just when, how, and in what setting the two would officially hook up.

The latter two, though... Byakuya's performance of nonchalance was perfect, save for the fact that he was always prompt in responding to Mikoto's requests. Whereas Mikoto was always casting glances at the serene man, and always fidgeting in his presence.

Naruto would admit to finding it somewhat amusing. First, he and Kushina were brought together, then Madara and Retsu seemingly found each other, and now it was Byakuya and Mikoto. Three pairs were emerging from their combined Peerages, and the young man could barely hold in his smirk.

However, no matter how amusing Naruto found the situation, he'd never bring it up verbally. Byakuya would deny or ignore him, and Retsu would scare him. Those two were just no fun some times!

... Okay, Byakuya was never fun. That man seriously had _no_ sense of humor! The few times Naruto had attempted to solicit either aid or reaction from the man, both had flopped spectacularly. It was just enough empirical evidence to force Naruto's hand.

He quit attempting to use Byakuya for his pranks. It just didn't work.

Now Naruto watched as his Peerage mingled easily with that of his fiance. It was interesting to see, Grimmjow and Zaraki being kept in line by Tsume and Gai, Hiruzen and Ulquiorra played chess -current score was 120:130 if Naruto remembered correctly-, Anko was teasing Ichigo about virgins, Konan had seemingly joined the "Lazy Party" of Starrk and Kakashi, leaving Tsunade to have a rather lively discussion about physical techniques with Yoruichi. Soifon, as usual, simply watched over Yoruichi from a "respectable" distance -Naruto snorted at that, hiding behind a pillar is not his idea of "respect"-, and Toushiro sat quietly beside his bubbling wife.

Naruto still had to scratch his head and wonder just _how_ those two ever became a couple. His attention had been on helping Toushiro gain control of his ice magic, and then Rangiku showed up and didn't leave. The next anyone knew they were married, and everyone wondered just how drunk she got him to do that.

That was almost six years ago. The two of them now even had a child, a girl named Haku. Sweet kid, seemed to have a bit of a crush on Naruto though.

With a sigh, Naruto put down his utensils. "Alright everyone, I assume you all remember what we're doing today?"

"Of course, Naruto-sama," Retsu replied softly from her place by Madara, "we are to visit for the week with the Uzumaki family."

"Right as always, Retsu." the blonde boy said. "Directly after breakfast, we'll teleport over. This is hardly formal, so there's no need for those damned carriages."

Kushina giggled, "but Naruto-kun, if we don't take the carriages, you and I can't have some alone time."

Naruto just stared at her. He would readily admit that he had fallen for her, and fallen hard, but he hated carriages. And it was for one reason: he got motion-sick.

Odd how he didn't have the issue with cars, or boats, or trains, or anything else. It was just carriages. He had no idea why.

"No. Carriage." He said firmly, causing the girl to pout. "If we must travel by mundane means, we can take a car, but I will not bother with a carriage."

Kushina blinked. "Car? You have one?" She sounded excited, and her hopeful smile proved it.

It was Naruto's turn to blink, "you've never been in one?" A shake of her head was the response he received, "well then, the car it is then. Retsu, would you be so kind as to deal with the particulars?"

The woman rose gracefully, "of course, Naruto-sama. I suppose the custom red your father gave you last year will suffice?"

"Yes, I think that one would be perfect." He replied easily. "Maybe load up _that_ as well."

"As you wish," Retsu said, bowing slightly and leaving to make certain of the arrangements.

Kushina looked at Naruto, "' _that_ '? And what might _'that'_ be?"

Naruto just chuckled, and tapped her on the nose. "A surprise, my dear."

"Mu!" She pouted again, her cheeks puffing out cutely.

He almost gave in. Almost.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

The two groups gathered outside the front door of the mansion, waiting for their ride to show up. Just as Zaraki was about to complain, a _very_ stretched out red vehicle pulled up in front of them. On the doors were the Namikaze House crest, reminiscent of a cresting wave, and it was clearly large enough to fit both Peerages comfortably.

Kushina almost swore there was room for a Helipad!

Well, there was something else at the back of the car, but she couldn't actually tell what it was. The mere fact that it was clearly capable of easily containing both full Peerages, and was probably tall enough that Zaraki, the tallest person in the group, wouldn't have to stoop to move around in it was destroying her idea of the word "limousine".

This thing was more like a semi truck with an attached fifty-foot trailer!

Which is pretty much what it's base was, but she didn't need to know that.

"Alright everyone, let's get in, and get on the road. It's a long ride to the Uzumaki Estate," Naruto said, opening the door.

This action was yet another of the things that endeared him to his Peerage. Where most devils would simply let one of their servants open the doors for them, and stride around arrogantly, Naruto willingly did menial tasks like that for himself or his people. He even sometimes went down to the kitchens to help with cooking, and there were times he joined the maids in cleaning. These seemingly minor things had made him insanely popular among not only his Peerage, but the other house servants as well.

Kushina and Tier stood beside Naruto as the others climbed in, wanting to enter with him. Consequently, they entered just before he did, as he also closed the door behind him. They sat down, and Naruto hit a button.

Kushina raised an eye brow, but was answered by Tier. "That tells the driver that everyone's aboard and seated."

"Oh," the redhead replied with a look of sudden understanding. It made sense, as she couldn't see the driver, and apparently the driver couldn't see them, so that button would be necessary.

Then her eyes landed on a large, lengthy object covered by a sheet of some sort. With yet another questioning look, she caught Naruto's attention and gestured at the object. A sly expression crossed his features.

"It's a surprise."

She pouted, but Tier came to her rescue, "it's his Bucephalus."*

"His what-now?"

Tier nodded once, "his motorcycle. It was custom made for him before his mother died, and like the original Bucephalus, it allows no one else to ride it."

Kushina blinked, looked at Naruto, whose face was reddening, and back to Tier. "A motorcycle with a mind of it's own?"

"Um, yes and no..." Naruto said softly, obviously uncomfortable, "it's more that it's start-up is locked to my Bio-electric signature. Mom thought it wouldn't be enough to discourage thieves though, and added in a powerful spell to burn and shock anyone else who tried to start it."

The girl's eyes widened. That was a nasty surprise! Noting her expression, Naruto rushed to explain.

"I helped her with it, or rather, I studied the spell extensively after she was gone. I know how to add other people to it's 'safe list'. I was going to add you, and take you for a ride on it a bit later."

"Oh." Kushina sat there, blinking as she took in the information. His mother was apparently paranoid enough to add a powerful spell to both burn and shock people, who weren't her son, who tried to steal his motorcycle. He apparently even had a license for it, because he said he was going to take her for a ride on it, and the Underworld had similar vehicle laws as the Human World did. No driving without a license for it, though they had the age limit a little lower than the Humans did.

Wait, even still, he'd had the bike for at least three years, if it was given to him before his mother died. Damn, that meant he had one Hell of a Mom, to give her child such an incredible gift. Kushina found herself feeling somewhat jealous, as the only thing she had received from _her_ mother wasn't something that could be brought out and bragged about.

Then something else came to her, and she had to ask, "how is the spell powered? I mean, every spell has a limit... right?"

Naruto nodded, his discomfort increasing. "Ah... it's... *mummblemummble*"

Kushina's eyebrow quirked, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. What's it's power source?"

The blonde boy sighed, his head dropping in resignation. "Mom found a Sacred Gear that produced a certain amount of energy without limit, and sealed it into the engine."

Blink. Blink. Blink. Blink. Blinkblinkblinkblink!

"What?"

"I said, Mom sealed a Sacred Gear into the engine. One that produced unlimited energy to a certain level."

"I thought that's what you said." Kushina promptly fainted.

Madara chose that moment to speak up, his face creased with curiosity. "Is there really such a Gear, Naruto-sama?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, still uncomfortable with the current topic. "Yes, and no, Madara. There _was_ such a Gear, now it's my engine."

"Ah, I see." Madara's eyes slid over to the covered motorcycle, "and did this engine come with something... extra?"

Naruto grimaced, "thankfully, nothing major has appeared... yet."

"And if it should, in time?"

"I'll deal with it then."

Madara nodded. He wasn't quite certain that Naruto would be able to handle it, should a problem arise, but he figured that if either Kushina, Retsu, or himself were nearby it could be dealt with fairly easily. Failing that, there was always the option of destroying the motorcycle and then rebuilding it.

Kushina stirred, and opened her eyes to see Naruto looking down at her. "Naruto-kun, I had the strangest dream... you had a motorcycle that could solve the human world's power consumption by producing unlimited energy."

"Ah-hah-hah," Naruto laughed nervously. "That... wasn't a dream, Kushina-chan."

Her eyes flew wide, "what?!"

"You're also overlooking the fact I said, 'a certain level'," he said dryly. "It can only produce so much power, but it does so without a time limit. It's just enough to power the spell, and maybe a bit more. Certainly not enough to solve the Humans' problems."

Kushina looked suitably chastised. Of course the Sacred Gear in question couldn't be that powerful, otherwise it wouldn't have been used in the engine of a machine like his motorcycle. There were even a fair number of Sacred Gears that could theoretically be used for such an operation, it was simply that she couldn't recall any such thing working before.

"Oh," she said in a small voice.

"Naruto-sama is glossing over one potential issue, however," Madara said, hiding his glee at Naruto's sudden glare. "Using a Gear in such a way, it becomes possible for it to gain a certain level of intelligence. An 'Ego', if you will."

"Huh?" Was Kushina's intelligent answer. Hey, she just woke up from an unintentional nap, her brain wasn't firing on all cylinders just yet.

"He's saying that eventually my bike could get a mind of it's own due to the Sacred Gear," Naruto stated with a glare for the dark-haired man.

"Ooooh... wait, what?"

Naruto sighed, "this is possibly the first successful experiment in using a Sacred Gear as a mechanical power source. It's not proven, but there is a theory that it might gain it's own mind somehow. BUT," he threw another glare at Madara, "it's only a theory."

"How would that work, exactly?" She wondered.

Both Naruto and Madara shrugged. "Like Naruto-sama said, it's only a theory. A _possibility_ , but it's the idea that power attracts power. In other words, it is possible that a disembodied being of similar power, in this case electrical, could be attracted to the unoccupied Sacred Gear, and take it over as it's own."

"I'm lost."

"It's similar to willingly Sealing one's self into an object, in this case the Sacred Gear." Starrk said from his laid-out position on a nearby seat.

"AH! I get it now!"

"Really?"

"Yup!"

Naruto shrugged. "Okay."

Kushina rolled her eyes, "you're saying that if someone like, say... Raijin, the ancient Japanese deity of lightning, suddenly lost his body, he could be attracted to your engine, and take up residence on a permanent basis."

Naruto blinked, then facepalmed hard. "You just _had_ to put a name out there... And not just any name, but the name of an ancient deity that has long since lost all of his freaking worshipers, making him a displaced entity!"

"Huh? What? Is that bad?" She looked back and forth between Naruto, who kept his face in his hands, Madara, whose face looked like he just ate a lemon, and Starrk who no longer looked like he was going to sleep at any second.

"YES!" All three men shouted at once.

A sudden burst of light, and a bright spark of electricity arced straight toward the covered vehicle.

Apparently Kushina had forgotten one tiny little factor about deities that lost their worshipers: so long as they were mentioned out loud, they continued to exist, and thus retained some semblance of power. Normally this isn't a bad thing, as they still controlled some of their former domains, which meant that they could eventually regain those lost followers, and their proper places amongst the Pantheons.

The downside to losing all of their worshipers, but still being known of, is that they become displaced, with no ties to any one location, area, or even a particular world. This grants them a certain level of freedom to manifest in whatever location their name becomes used. As they are no longer a practicing deity, they aren't actually stepping on another deity's toes by entering their territory. They basically become wandering spirits without a home.

Kushina accidentally named such a displaced deity. One that had a large affinity for lightning, and was known to be more than a little cantankerous and bloodthirsty. And it was now housed within the engine of Naruto's motorcycle.

"Oh, this is _so_ not good," Naruto muttered.

The upside? Well, Raijin was always more of an elemental spirit, which made his domains, and his power, rather limited.. somewhere in the middling range. He had lightning bolts, thunder waves, and was said to be of limited intelligence.

Not really much of a consolation.

 **"Ah! A body! At last!... Wait, what is this?!"**

"A motorcycle." Tier stated, being one of the few without dropped jaws.

 **"Why would you place a Sacred Gear within such a thing?!"**

"Because Kana-sama wanted to make sure the machine couldn't be stolen," she replied immediately.

 **"The machine?! Who cares about the machine?!"**

"Naruto-sama does. It was a gift from Kana-sama."

There was the generalized sounds of spluttering, and incoherent mumbling, before a sigh was heard. **"You mean to tell me, that I just bound myself to a Sacred Gear that is sealed inside of a machine? A machine that is incapable of moving on it's own?"**

"That would be correct."

 **"God Fucking Dammit."**

"If it's any consolation, this was hardly my intention." Naruto said, walking over to the still-covered bike. "I never wanted someone, or something, to become stuck in my bike."

 **"Get this tarp off, I want to see you."**

Naruto shrugged, and grabbed the tarp, pulling it off in one sweep. Kushina looked at the machine, blinked, and looked again. yup, she wasn't imagining things.

Kushina would admit to many things, one of which being that she enjoyed the occasional video game. One of her all-time favorites was Final Fantasy VII, which was probably the most popular in the long-running series. What she was looking at right now, was a crimson and sable version of the same thing that Cloud drove on his group's way out of Midgard, just with an extended seat to fit a passenger.*

This thing actually _looked_ like it belonged to a devil. Which was fitting, considering it did.

The front tire swiveled a little, **"Huh, whaddya know? I can move a bit... hm... likely-looking lad. Race?"**

"Devil."

 **"Family?"**

"Namikaze and Ginjo."

 **"... The Soul Magic and Fullbring clans?"**

"Yes."

 **"Position?"**

"Heir. To both names."

One could almost hear the spirit blinking. **"Well dayum! You done good there boy! Maybe this won't be so bad. This form of mine have a name?"**

"I was using 'Bucephalus', the same name as Alexander the Great's horse."

 **"Hm... That'll do. For now at least. Can't very well use 'Raijin' anymore, seeing as I'm bound."**

Naruto looked at Kushina, then to everyone else, and noted each of their expressions mirrored his. Shock, surprise, disbelief, and incredulity. This was going _ **WAY**_ too easy! And did it speak with a Southern American accent for a moment? What was up with that?! Shouldn't a Japanese spirit use a Japanese accent?

"Well... I could use 'Ixion' or 'Sleipnir' I suppose..." Naruto mused, not realizing he had spoken out loud.

 **"Not bad choices, think I'll take Ixion though. I ain't pissin' off Odin just 'cuz you want a bitchin' name for a mount."** You could practically cut the sarcasm with a butter knife. Though it made sense, who wanted to piss off Odin?

Naruto sweatdropped, "right... Ixion it is..."

 **"Come to think of it... what is an 'Ixion' anyway?"**

"Hm? Oh, it's the name for a summon beast, coincidentally it's a horse of lightning." Naruto explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

 **"Does this summon beast still exist?"**

Naruto shrugged, "hell if I know. I'm not a summoner. But I got it from a video game, so maybe?"

 **"Hm... shouldn't be stepping on any toes then."**

"You're afraid of an electric horse?"

 **"I can't move freely, boy! I'm stuck with this body now, and I don't want to be blasted into spare parts."**

"Good point. Would this be an appropriate time to mention that your casing is primarily formed from adamantite?"

A pregnant pause ensued. One could just imagine the look of sheer disbelief that would otherwise have been on the Raijin's face.

 **"... Yes. Yes, this is a very good time to tell me what this body of mine is made from."**

Naruto held back a snicker of amusement as he could just tell the spirit was blinking in surprise. Shrugging, he said, "I will admit I wasn't paying complete attention when Mom was going over it all, but I do remember her mentioning an oricalcum frame, wyvern hide seating, and Hellfire rubber for the tires to compliment the adamantite parts."

 **"... Boy... just how much money did your mother sink into this thing?"**

The shock and awe was obvious in the spirit's tone, and Naruto couldn't withhold his grin. "I've been tempted to think that she bankrupted the Ginjo name to make it."

 **"... Sounds about right... just how paranoid..."**

The spirit was obviously mumbling to itself, so the others turned their attention away. Naruto took up a seat along the side away from the now-possessed motorcycle, Kushina and Tier joining him swiftly.

"That really went far better than I could have hoped for," he muttered quietly to the two women.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

Several hours passed since the episode with the newly-christened Ixion, hours spent doing anything but paying close attention to the possessed motorcycle. The reason? Well, it seemed that Ixion had a habit of talking to himself out loud, and it was somewhat disconcerting to listen to a motorcycle talk.

Finally Naruto stood up, and walked over. "Say, Ixion, how do you feel about getting out for a bit? I had the bike loaded up for that reason after all, and to give Kushina a chance to feel what it's like to ride one."

 **"Hm... not a bad idea, Boy. I'll admit, being stuck as an inanimate object was not my best possible idea. Getting out would be a good way to test my new limits. But isn't there a spell that keeps anyone other than you from riding me?"**

"Ah, that? That's keyed to the start-up. With you in there, the bike's practically primed to go whenever, so it shouldn't be a problem, but I was going to modify the spell to allow her anyway." Naruto replied easily, his hand hovering over the side of the engine.

Yet again, Naruto got the impression of the spirit blinking. **"You know how to do that? I'm in here, and I don't know how to do that."**

The boy smirked, "I watched Mom put the spell in, and have studied it extensively... or as much as I could in the years since her death. Outside of my family magics, I'd say there isn't a spell I know better."

 **"... If I blow up, I'll never let you on, even if you rebuild me."**

Naruto's smirk grew into a full blow laugh, his hand lighting up with an intricate glyph. "Fair enough. Kushina, your hand, and a bit of magic please."

She was at his side in an instant, seemingly teleporting in her excitement. Kushina extended her hand, a small glow of her own magic suffusing the outstretched limb as it made contact with Naruto's. A Brief flash, and the glyph under his hand had changed slightly, chains wrapping around the outer layer.

A nod of satisfaction from Naruto told her that it had gone correctly, and she was now entered into the glyph's matrix. Naruto glanced over his shoulder at Tier, and motioned with his head for her to join them.

"As long as I have it active, Tier, I figured I'd add you as well. Never know when my loyal Knight will be in need of a powerful steed," he said teasingly, his eyes dancing with mirth and affection.

Tier rolled her eyes at his joke, but walked over and added her own hand and magic to his his. Another flash of light, and the chains were now interspersed with what appeared to be the toothed maw of a shark. Fitting, since Tier had an incredibly high affinity for that particular creature.

Naruto let the glyph fade back into the engine, and felt more than satisfied. It had been difficult, the new sweat on his brow was testament to that, but it was also proof that his studies had paid off. Adding Tier had probably been pushing it though.

"How's that feel, Ixion?" The boy asked, curious to know if the spirit could feel any difference.

 **"... Odd. I feel as if my territory has increased, and... something more..."**

The engine roared to life a moment later, surprising everyone. Just as surprising was a new decoration that appeared on the side of the main tank: Two lightning bolts in a double-helix and meeting to form the head of a horse facing forward.

 **"I can start up myself now... I wonder if that means you have accidentally granted me the ability to move on my own..."**

Naruto grinned, "if so, let's not try that out in here, alright?"

 **"Agreed, as a courtesy, if nothing else. I'll say it now, Boy, if you have indeed managed to give me self-mobility, I will carry you or one of those females without complaint."**

Naruto's breath hissed in surprise, his eyes widening in unadulterated shock. This was far more than he could have hoped for. Spirits were prideful, and rarely could a devil, another innately proud species, gain one as a willing ally. The fact that this entire series of events had been one giant cluster-fuck for the spirit in question, and Naruto had no reason to even hope that it would react with any sort of gratitude.

Then something registered in his mind, and his eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "My name, by the way, is Naruto."

 **"Are you yet an adult?"**

"Well.. in some ways..."

 **"Yes or no."**

"Technically? I'm only fifteen, so that would be a no."

 **"Then you are a boy, and as such I will call you 'Boy'. Should you live to see adulthood, I may consider changing it."** Ixion stated logically.

Muttering imprecations beneath his breath, Naruto moved toward the front end, to ask the drivers to pull over long enough for him to unload the bike. He wanted to go for a ride, and no disrespectful name would stop him! Besides, he had promised Kushina a ride, and Namikaze-Ginjo Naruto always kept his promises.

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

It turned out that, yes, Naruto did indeed managed to give Ixion independent mobility. So, much like a horse, all Naruto had to do now was lean in a direction to get the bike to go where he wanted. Although Ixion still allowed him to manually control everything, as they were in the infancy of their new "partnership". They would practice moving together at a later time. And with Kushina clinging tightly to his back, her long red tresses flying in the wind from beneath the helmet he gave her, Naruto felt beyond satisfied as he enjoyed the ride.

The path to the Uzumaki Estate was a rather scenic one, filled with flowering cherry and plum blossoms. Beyond those was something of a prime-evil forest, not too different from the Familiar Forest, just a fair bit more dangerous. Only the Uzumaki ever really ventured within, and even then it was a rare occurrence.

According to what he could hear from Kushina, at any rate.

Currently the two of them were riding several car-lengths behind the giant rig that carried their Peerages, as Naruto had an idea with which to wow the Uzumaki with. Kushina wasn't certain it would wow her family, but it would certainly be something different and make a rather strong impression on the children of the clan.

But for now, Naruto drove, and Kushina held herself to him tightly, both enjoying the experience of riding together...

 **"... If you two get any closer, you'll have sex on my chassis."**

 **XXXXXXXX- Break -XXXXXXXX**

Uzumaki Mito stood out front of the main house of her clan's Estate, resplendent in a lavender kimono. Arrayed behind her were several leaders of branch houses, all powerful in their own right... though she could wish that some of them would lighten up a bit.

Especially the Ishida Branch Family, who stood a little apart from the rest of them.

Ishida Ryuken, head of the Ishida branch of the Uzumaki which split from the main family centuries ago, stood prim and proper in a pristine white suit carrying a five-point blue cross over his left breast, his young son Uryu at his side. Ryuken's ancestor had found a way to tap into the latent spiritual energy of the world around him, and used it to create his very own magic, which he called Kuinshi, or Monk of Destruction. The name was fairly apt as the ancestor in question went into seclusion in a human monastery directly after passing the reins to his son.

However, after centuries the Ishida family was about as different from the Uzumaki as the humans were from devils. They looked similar, and that's about where it ended. In fact, the only true similarities were a sharp facial structure for the males, and slightly more cherubic features for the females. Where every other Uzumaki had red hair, to one degree or another, the Ishida had coal black, or the rare white such as Ryuken sported. Where the Uzumaki enjoyed bright, diverse colors, the Ishidawore white with that blue five-point star. Where Uzumaki had a love of fun and excitement, the Ishida were pragmatic and very much dour.

There were many who thought that there was no Uzumaki blood left in the Ishida family, but anyone who met them on the battlefield quickly changed their opinions. While they lacked the Sealing and Chain magics of the Uzumaki Main family, they certainly still held the same flair for dramatic battle and the sharp tactical mindset. There were few who desired to face the Ishida across the field of battle, and those who did often found themselves wishing they had left well enough alone. Usually accompanied by comments such as: "now I see the resemblance".

A loud horn sounding broke Mito out of her thoughts on her family's semi-estranged cousins, and she refocused on a... semi-truck?

Blinking a bit, she took note that the truck was still there, so it wasn't just a figment of her tired imagination. There really was a large red semi-truck-like vehicle heading toward them.

 _'And I thought our family had a flair for the dramatic... Haruo, I think I may have to give you this one...'_ Mito thought with a sweatdrop forming on her brow.

The truck pulled to a stop with the right side facing the gathered Clan, still at a respectable distance. The two Peerages filed out and lined up, one Peerage on each side, each member across from their respective Piece in the other Peerage, save Ichigo whose counterpart had been Sasuke. Facing each other, the two Peerages left a wide swath between them that Mito assumed was for Kushina and Naruto to walk down, not dissimilar to a wedded couple.

Her surprise was complete, however, when the loud roar of another engine came to her ears, and a motorcycle jumped over the back of the truck, perfectly in line with the open space between the Peerages. A motorcycle that made a perfect landing carrying two riders, one blonde and the other red haired. Coming to a grinding halt on an angle, the riders looked toward the gathered Clan.

"Yo! Mito-Oba-chan! We're here!" Naruto grinned at the Uzumaki matriarch as he pulled a set of goggles down his face, Kushina mirroring his action behind him.

The young children in the crowd looked at him with stars in their eyes. It was official, Namikaze-Ginjo Naruto was the coolest person they knew now. There were even looks of something close to hero worship on some their faces.

"Oh spirits above and below, there's another one." Ryuken muttered quietly in near-silent despair.

 **XXXXXXXX- Ending Notes -XXXXXXXX**

*Bucephalus: the name of King Alexander the Great's battle horse. It was said to be so wild and untamed that it would allow no other to mount it. The name has since been used many times to indicate a horse, or other mount, that is particularly difficult to tame for use. Thus I used it to describe just how difficult it would be to steal Naruto's motorcycle.

*Yeah, I can't describe the bike, so I'd suggest looking it up. It's absolutely badass though. "Final Fantasy VII motorcycle" is what I used in the Google search. Remember, it's from the game, during the escape from Midgard, so don't bother looking at the one from Advent Children.

KING: Namikaze Naruto (Devil)

QUEEN: Unohana Retsu (Devil)

BISHOP: Ulquiorra Cifer (Bat Yokai), Coyote Starrk (Coyote Yokai)

KNIGHT: Tier Harribel (Devil). Soifon (Faé)

ROOK: Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez (Panther Yokai), Shihoin Yoruichi (Nekomata)

PAWN: Zaraki Kenpachi (?), Kuchiki Byakuya (Devil), Hitsugaya Toushiro (Ice Apparition), Kurosaki Ichigo (Human-Devil-Fallen Hybrid)

KING: Kushina (Devil)

QUEEN: Uchiha Madara (Devil)

BISHOP: Sarutobi Hiruzen (Human/Magic Knight), Hatake Kakashi (Devil)

KNIGHT: Uchiha Mikoto (Devil), Momochi Zabuza (Half-Oni)

ROOK: Senju Tsunade (Half-Demon/Medicine Woman), Inuzuka Tsume (Human/Beast Tamer)

PAWN: Maito Gai (Reincarnation: Heracles), Konan (Fallen Angel), Mitarashi Anko (Lamia), (two unused Pieces)


End file.
